Jul. 12, 2022

Dark Sweet Cherry Cheesecake

Yield: 1 cheesecake

Skill level: Moderate

This Cherry Cheesecake recipe sets a new bar for rich indulgent cheesecakes. Our Pacific Northwest grown Dark Sweet cherries made the perfect cherry compote for an ideal balanced summer dessert.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

  • 1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs, about 15 whole crackers
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Cheesecake

  • 32 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 egg yolks

Cherry Compote

  • 5 cups Dark Sweet cherries, pitted
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Graham Cracker Crust

  1. Preheat your oven at 350°F or 176°C. Grease the inside of your 9 inch springform cake pan.
  2. Using a food processor, pulverize the graham crackers into crumbs. Alternatively, you can place the graham crackers into a large ziplock bag and crush the crackers with a rolling pin.
  3. In a large mixing bowl add the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Whisk until combined
  4. Melt the butter in the microwave about 15-30 seconds. Pour in the graham cracker mix and thoroughly mix.
  5. Scoop the mix into a greased cake pan. Press firmly for a flat, even layer. Use a flat bottomed glass or measuring cup to make an even flat layer.
  6. Bake the crust in the center of the oven for about 7 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Cheesecake

  1. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F or 163°C. Set a kettle of water to boil. Carefully wrap your springform pan with 4-5 layers of aluminum foil or alternatively use a 10 inch pan to protect the springform pan from getting wet.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy. About 1 minute.
  3. Turn the mixer to low speed. While mixer is beating, slowly add the sugar in three increments until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to evenly combine.
  4. While the mixer is beating on low, add the sour cream, vanilla extract, flour and salt and mix until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  5. In a measuring cup with a spout, lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolks until combined. While the mixer is slowly beating on low speed, add the lightly whisked eggs about one at a time making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to fully combine. The batter should be silky smooth. Do not over mix.
  6. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Tap the pan on your work surface a few times to release any air bubbles.
  7. Place your cake pan into a large roasting pan or large sheet cake pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come up about 1 inch along the side of the cake pan. Place the cake and water bath in the center rack of your oven. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the cake has a slight wobble in the center 2-3 inches of the cake. The edges will have likely puffed and turned a very pale golden brown.
  8. Turn off the oven, and ****let the cheesecake rest in oven and water bath for 30 minutes with the oven door cracked. Then run a think bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure the cake doesn’t stick to the sides of the cake and crack when it cools. Next, remove the cheesecake from the water bath and aluminum foil and set it on a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight before slicing and serving.

Cherry Topping

  1. In a medium saucepan on medium low heat, add the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir until combined. Cook the cherries until the cherries begin to release their juices about 5-7 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry and vanilla extract until the sauce thickens. Cool completely before spooning over the cheesecake.

Recipe created by Takes 2 Eggs for Superfresh Growers.

Other Recipes