Lush No-Bake Lemon Cheesecakes
½ cup low-fat (1%) milk
1¼ teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 large egg yolk
½ cup sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
Pinch salt
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Combine milk and lemon zest in small glass measure; microwave on High until it boils, 1½–2 minutes. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Pour through fine sieve into heatproof medium bowl; whisk in egg yolk.
2 Set bowl over medium saucepan of simmering water (make sure bowl is not touching simmering water); cook, whisking constantly, until very pale, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in sugar, gelatin, and salt; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes longer. Wearing oven mitts, remove bowl from saucepan and let mixture cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
3 Puree ricotta in food processor. Whisk ricotta, lemon juice, and vanilla into cooled gelatin mixture. Pour into 4 dessert dishes or glasses, dividing evenly. Loosely cover each dish with piece of plastic wrap; refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
PER SERVING (1 cheesecake): 173 Cal, 1 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 62 mg Chol, 188 mg Sod, 26 g Carb, 23 g Sugar, 0 g Fib, 17 g Prot, 377 Calc.
FYI Steeping the lemon zest in the hot milk infuses the milk with a delicate and enticing fresh lemon flavor and aroma.