New York Cheesecake with Cherry Topping
This is a recipe for the cheesecake that I made for our last gourmet club dinner. We brought dishes from private eye novels. It is mentioned in the book Crimson Joy by Robert B. Parker that Spenser eats cheesecake. I'm not sure this is the cake that he had, but if it isn't it was his loss. The texture and flavor of the cake and topping are just right. Plus it is a very easy cake to make.
It is an added bonus if you happen to have some Door County cherries in your freezer to use to make the topping.
Ingredients
1 2/3 cup graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
7 tbsp butter melted
1 16 oz sour cream container
24 oz cream cheese (3 8 oz. packages)
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 tbsp flour all-purpose
1 16 oz red tart cherries bag frozen
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and stir in the sugar until well combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs just hold together when pressed. Press into the bottom and 2-inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sour cream and cream cheese; beat until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix briefly until combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F; bake in the center of the oven 1 hour and 5 minutes or until the cheesecake is almost set. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven another hour. Cover and chill 3 hours.
Meanwhile, combine the cherries, sugar and almond extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch that has been dissolved in 2 tablespoons water; return to a boil and cook until thickened, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and chill 2 hours. Spread cherry mixture over top of cheesecake before slicing.
Decadent, rich, creamy cheesecake is even better with luscious cherry topping. The cake must be made at least three hours ahead, but can be made up to five days in advance.
It is an added bonus if you happen to have some Door County cherries in your freezer to use to make the topping.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
7 tbsp butter melted
1 16 oz sour cream container
24 oz cream cheese (3 8 oz. packages)
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
6 tbsp flour all-purpose
1 16 oz red tart cherries bag frozen
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
Combine graham cracker crumbs in a bowl and stir in the sugar until well combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs just hold together when pressed. Press into the bottom and 2-inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sour cream and cream cheese; beat until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat until smooth. Add the flour and mix briefly until combined. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F; bake in the center of the oven 1 hour and 5 minutes or until the cheesecake is almost set. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven another hour. Cover and chill 3 hours.
Meanwhile, combine the cherries, sugar and almond extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Stir in cornstarch that has been dissolved in 2 tablespoons water; return to a boil and cook until thickened, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and chill 2 hours. Spread cherry mixture over top of cheesecake before slicing.
Decadent, rich, creamy cheesecake is even better with luscious cherry topping. The cake must be made at least three hours ahead, but can be made up to five days in advance.
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