avocado cheesecake with walnut crust

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 3/4 cup shelled walnuts
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed anise seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 fully ripened avocados from mexico, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package fat-free cream cheese, softened and cut in pieces

Recipe

• heat oven to 350 degrees f. in food processor, pulse walnuts until finely ground. add graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, anise seeds and salt; pulse just until combined. add 2 tablespoons water; pulse until ingredients are thoroughly combined and resemble wet sand. press into bottom of an 8 1/2-inch springform pan. bake 20 minutes; cool completely.
• in measuring cup or small bowl, combine gelatin with 2 tablespoons water; let stand for 5 minutes. with vegetable peeler, remove strips of lemon zest (yellow portion only). in saucepan, combine milk, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and lemon zest; bring to boil. add gelatin; simmer until gelatin has completely dissolved, about 1 minute; strain and discard lemon zest.
• in food processor, combine avocados and cream cheese. pour hot milk mixture into processor; process until very smooth. pour into baked crust; cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until set. remove side of pan; cut cheesecake into 10 slices. serve with raspberry sauce, if desired.