It’s time for June’s Cheat Sweet! Here in Georgia, it’s gotten hot quickly. This means two things: peach season is beginning, and I want cheesecake.

I got my first Georgia peaches from a roadside stand this weekend, and it must be still a little early for the season, because they were pretty tart. However, cooking them with a little white wine and cream mellows them out and makes them a perfect companion to a creamy, citrus-y cheesecake. I spike my recipe with lemon zest, giving it a summery lightness, but you could easily use orange zest or another flavored extract to change up the flavor. I think it would probably be great with coconut extract!

It’s actually surprisingly easy to make a lower-carb version of this classic dessert. This recipe fills an 8-inch pie plate to the brim and makes 8 regular-size slices, although I cut it into 16 half-slices because we like just a little bit of dessert. My recipe also has quite a lot less crust than a typical cheesecake; adjust the recipe if you prefer a thicker crust.

Peaches are great to use for this, since they’re a stone fruit and they have a lot of fiber, which cuts down on your usable carb count (about 8 grams per medium peach). Cherries - not canned cherry pie filling, mind you, but real cherries - would work too, but nothing says summer to me like warm peaches and cool cheesecake. This isn’t a carb-free dessert (it has between 8-10 grams per serving), but it is a great deal more figure-friendly than your typical cheesecake, and it’s worth every last mouthful of creamy, peachy deliciousness.

For the crust, you’ll need:
3/4 cup almond flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar substitute (Splenda is great)
2 1/2 tbsp. melted butter

Stir together all ingredients until mixture is crumbly:

Press into an 8- or 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

For the cheesecake filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese*
1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute
1 tbsp. real vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
zest of 1/2 a lemon

*You can use neufchâtel cream cheese, which typically has 1/3 less fat than full-fat cream cheese but no additional carbs, but do not use fat-free cream cheese: the finished product will not have the right texture. I also recommend Philadelphia brand; its creaminess is superior, in my opinion.

Beat cream cheese, sugar substitute, and vanilla together until creamy and well-blended. Add sour cream, eggs, and lemon zest; mix until combined. I make my batter in the blender, because it’s really easy and allows for plenty of air to be incorporated (which makes for fluffy cheesecake). See the little specks of lemon zest in there?

Pour batter over crust and smooth with spatula. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until center is almost set and cracks appear on the top of cheesecake.

Allow to cool completely on wire rack, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Before serving, prepare the peaches!

You’ll need:
1/2 tbsp. butter
2-3 small peaches, sliced
1 tbsp. granulated sugar substitute
pinch cinnamon
splash white wine
splash heavy cream

Toss peaches with sugar substitute and cinnamon. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add peaches. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add white wine and cream; stir well.

Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes more, until peaches are softened (but not mushy) and sauce has reduced. Spoon over cheesecake and serve!

Steve says: I want seconds!