Cherry Cheesecake

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Cherry Cheesecake

Yield: 1 8-cinch cheesecake

Author: Sarah Truesdell

Adapted from "Cordon Rose Cream Cheesecake" by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Ingredients

For the Cheesecake

• 16 ounces cream cheese (2 bricks Philadelphia, do not use "organic" or other "natural" cream cheese)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs or other cookie crumb

For the topping

• 10 ounces fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 tsp almond extract

Instructions

Make the cake

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Prepare pan by greasing sides of an 8-inch by 2 1/2 inch spring form pan and lining bottom with parchment or wax paper. 
3. Wrap outisde of pan with a double layer of heavy duty foil to create a water-tight situation for the pan. For wide foil that will cover bottom and up all sides with one piece, just cut out two squares of foil and lay on top of each other. Place cake pan on top and gather foil up the side.  Think of the way a potted plant is wrapped by a florist.  If you have standard width foil, cut out two rectangles and lay in a cross.  Place pan in the center and gather up around.  See the video for help with wrapping the pan.
4. In a large mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, cream together cream cheese and sugar for three minutes.  
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla, and salt.  Beat in sour cream until blended completely (try not to whip air into the batter).
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set wrapped pan into a large pan that is at least 1 1/2 inches tall, such as a roasting pan.  Pour in enough hot water into this outer pan to get about 1 inch of water. 
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn off oven and let cake cool in the oven for an additional hour. 
9. Remove cake from oven and cool to room temperature.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight. 
10. Run a thin spatula around sides of pan and under bottom to loosen.  Remove outer ring.  Place a plastic wrap lined board or plate on top of the cake and flip upside down.  Remove the bottom carefully.  Pat cookie crumbs on bottom to form a base.  Invert onto serving platter. See the video for visual.

Make the topping

1. Pit cherries.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Allow to macerate for 20-30 minutes.
3. Cooke over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil.  Continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. 
5. Spoon onto cold cheesecake.

Did you make this recipe?

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