Tom Saaristo Cherry Cheesecake

http://tomsaaristo.com

Cherry Cheesecake

I secretly love the ease and taste of cherry pie filling for topping cheesecake. I would never make a pie with the stuff, but a little on top of each slice [not slathered all over the whole thing] is a nice tart accompaniment to a beautiful homemade cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham crackers [about 30 squares]
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:
1 pound cream cheese [from two 8 ounce blocks], softened
3 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
scant 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can cherry pie filling, chilled, optional

Method
For the Crust:
Preheat the oven to 325°

In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8 – inch springform pan with non – stick cooking spray.
Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1 – inch up the sides. Pop the crust into the fridge while you prepare the filling

For the Filling:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth and free of any lumps, about a minute. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating slowly after each addition to fully incorporate. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes

Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Mix the batter well – but do not over – beat

Pour the filling into the crust and smooth the top

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold the sides up around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake and the water bath will prevent the cake from burning

Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes; the cheesecake should still jiggle [it will firm up after chilling], so be careful not to over – bake. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes; then chill in refrigerator, loosely covered, at least 4 hours or overnight

Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a serving plate. Slice cheesecake into wedges and garnish each slice with a little bit of the cherry pie filling, if using.