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Aug 16
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Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping Ingredients CRUST: 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 teaspoons water Cooking spray FILLING: 3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream 4 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise TOPPING: 2/3 cup tawny port or other sweet red wine 1/2 cup sugar 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted dark sweet cherries 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 teaspoons cornstarch 4 teaspoons water  Preparation Preheat oven to 400°. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. To prepare topping, combine port, 1/2 cup sugar, cherries, and reserved vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy. Remove vanilla bean halves; discard. Combine juice, cornstarch, and 4 teaspoons water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Serve over cheesecake. Yield 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice cheesecake and about 2 tablespoons topping)

Cooking Light

Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping

Ingredients

CRUST: 
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 
1/4 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
2 teaspoons water 
Cooking spray 

FILLING: 
3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened 
2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 
1 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream 
4 large eggs 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 

TOPPING: 
2/3 cup tawny port or other sweet red wine 
1/2 cup sugar 
2 (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted dark sweet cherries 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
4 teaspoons cornstarch 
4 teaspoons water 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

To prepare topping, combine port, 1/2 cup sugar, cherries, and reserved vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy. Remove vanilla bean halves; discard.

Combine juice, cornstarch, and 4 teaspoons water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Serve over cheesecake.

Yield

16 servings (serving size: 1 slice cheesecake and about 2 tablespoons topping)

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