Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping

Ingredients

• 
  Preparation
• 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

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. 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.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Marge Perry, Cooking Light 

NOVEMBER 2002