Cherry Cheesecake

I have to admit that when it comes to some things in life I am somewhat of a purist. Things that fall into this category include, but are not limited to, chocolate, coffee, bourbon, and cheesecake. I believe there is no place for mint in my chocolate, flavoring in my coffee, froo-froo in my cocktails, or fruit sauce in my cheesecake. If something is good then it doesn't need all the jazzing up to be delicious, it should just be delicious in it's own right. Case and point: bud light is such a terrible beer they went and made bud light lime, because limes are yummy, bud light is shit beer. Got it? Good.

Now, after admitting that, I will say that is cherry cheesecake is just damn good. It's a stellar cheesecake recipe and the cherry sauce is on point. There is a fantastic pairing with these two together and I am completely willing to set my traditional purist heart aside and indulge in this delicious dessert. 

I found this cheesecake tutorial on The Kitchn by Emma Christensen and it provides an incredible step by step guide to making the ultimate foolproof cheesecake. There are a few key tricks to get a beautiful result that is free from cracks and lumps, and tastes delicious. This is my go to cheesecake recipe and gives you some great ideas for topping and ways to serve it to mix it up - what fun is it being a purist all the time anyway?

Cherry Cheesecake

adapted from thekitchn - How To Make Perfect Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the cheesecake:
2 pounds cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the topping:

16 ounces frozen sweet or sour cherries

1/3-1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Instructions

Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower-middle position and take the cream cheese out of their boxes and let them warm on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prepare the crust.
2. Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by spraying with cooking spray or greasing generously with butter. At the same time, cut two large pieces of foil and lay them on your work surface perpendicular to on another; these will be used later to protect the water bath from ruining your creation as it bakes in the oven. 

Crust:

1. Next, prepare the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and chopped pecans in a bowl. Then grab the melted butter - you can melt it on the stove or in the microwave, just make sure it has cooled - and stir the butter into the crumb mixture. The mixture should hold together when you grab a clump with your fist, if it doesn't you can add a little more melted butter to get it to stick together but you don't want to add too much or the crust will be greasy.  
2. Press the crumb crust into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the crust is fragrant and just starting to brown around the edges. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

1. Now it's time to make the filling. Combine the warmed cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture is creamy, like thick frosting, and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Scrape down the beater and the sides of the bowl with a spatula a few times as it's mixing to ensure there's not large cream cheese clumps stuck on the bottom.
2. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until combined and creamy. Again, scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a spatula.
3. With the mixer on medium-low speed, beat in the eggs and the yolk one at a time. Wait until the previous egg is just barely mixed into the batter before adding the next one. At first, the mixture will look clumpy and broken, but it will come together as the eggs are worked in.
4. Once the eggs are mixed in you can stir the whole batter a few times by hand, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, to make sure everything is incorporated. The finished batter should be thick, creamy, and silky. Don't worry if you see a few specks of un-mixed cream cheese here and there; they will melt into the batter during baking and won't affect the finished cheesecake.

Pour in pan, water bath, and bake:

1. Check to make sure the crust and the sides of the pan are cool — if they're cool enough to comfortably touch, you can go on. Pour the batter over the cooled crust and spread it into an even layer against the sides of the pan.
2. Once the you've poured the filling into the pan, you can place the pan in the center of the foil you prepared earlier and wrap the foil up around the edges of the pan. Place the cheesecake in pan into a roasting pan or other baking dish big enough to hold it. Bring a few cups of water to a boil and pour the water into the roasting pan, being careful not to splash any water onto the cheesecake. Fill the pan to about an inch, or just below the lowest edge of foil.
3. Bake the cheesecake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Cakes baked in a 10-inch pan will usually cook in 50 to 55 minutes; cakes in a 9-inch pan will cook in 55 to 60 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the outer two to three inches look slightly puffed and set, but the inner circle still jiggles (like Jell-o) when you gently shake the pan. Some spots of toasted golden color are fine, but if you see any cracks starting to form, move on to the next step right away.
4. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool slowly for one hour.
5. After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath, unwrap the foil, and transfer it to a cooling rack. Run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools). Let the cheesecake cool completely on the rack.
6. Chill the cheesecake, uncovered, for at least four hours or up to three days in the refrigerator. This step is very important for letting the cheesecake set and achieving perfect cheesecake texture, but I'd also be lying if I said I didn't skip it because I needed dessert on the table!

Topping:

1. While the cheesecake is cooling (or cooking) you can make the Cherry Topping. Place cherries in a large pot and add in sugar. Turn heat on med and allow cherries to get hot and start cooking down and releasing all of that yummy cherry juice. Stir often, if cherries stick to the pan you can add up to 2 tablespoons of water or lemon juice.
2. Mix water and corn starch together in a small bowl and add into the hot cherries.  Bring it to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The topping will continue to thicken as it cools - you want it at room temperature when you pour it on the cheesecake. 

Assembly:

1. FINALLY, take the cheesecake out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to serve. Unmold the cake and top the cheesecake just before serving. Leftovers will keep, uncovered and refrigerated, for several days.