Cherry Cheesecake Recipe

• Difficulty: Easy
• Servings: 6 to 8
• Nutritional Info Per Serving (1 of 8):
  • Calories: 395
  • Total Fat: 34 g
  • Saturated Fat: 20 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1 g
  • Sugar: 13 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 103 mg
  • Sodium: 202 mg
• Total Time: 3 hr 20 min
• Preparation Time: 20 min
• Chilling Time: 3 hr

This recipe challenged my long-held beliefwhich is both refreshing and a bit surprising. I always thought a genuine cheesecake had to be baked, but this no-bake version, a classic of 1970s dessert trays, has completely won me over. It's airy, has a lovely tanginess, and tastes utterly delightful. Bonus points for how quickly it can be put together, adding to the fun and ease. For authenticity, avoid topping the cake with canned cherry pie filling. I prefer a French cherry preserve that's widely found and contains no extra sugar, but any product marked as a "conserve" rather than "jam" should work fine. If you want to go all out when cherries are fresh, scatter a handful of luscious whole cherries over the surface instead.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2. 2 tablespoons sugar
3. 3/4 stick soft unsalted butter
4. 10 ounces cream cheese
5. 1/2 cup powdered sugar
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7. 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
8. 1 cup heavy cream
9. 1 (10-ounce) jar black cherry spread (suggested: St Dalfour Rhapsodie de Fruit)

Instructions

1. Crush the biscuits in a food processor until they begin to crumble, then add the sugar and butter and pulse briefly until the mixture starts to stick together. If using graham cracker crumbs, you may mix the butter and sugar by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon.
2. Firmly press this mixture into an 8-inch springform pan, gently pushing some up the sides to create a slight edge.
3. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until the mixture is smooth.
4. Whip the heavy cream lightly, then fold it gently into the cream cheese mixture.
5. Pour the cheesecake filling over the biscuit base and smooth the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least three hours or ideally overnight.
6. Before serving, release the cheesecake from the pan and spread the black cherry spread evenly on the surface.

Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson (Copyright 2007, Nigella Express, Hyperion, All Rights Reserved)