Valentine's Day Cherry Cheesecake
Nothing says Valentine's Day like a sweet, tart, and creamy Cherry Cheesecake! Before you head out to the store to purchase one, we suggest you try this recipe at home. It's a lot easier than you think, and we think your sweetheart will appreciate it more than the store-bought variety!
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
- ¾ cup Crushed graham crackers
- ¾ stick Unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp Member's Mark™ Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Member's Mark™ Organic Ground Ginger
- 26.5 oz Softened cream cheese
- ¾ cup White granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 cup Light sour cream (remove 2 tbsp from the 1 cup for correct measurement)
- Juice and zest from ½ lemon
- 1 pinch Member's Mark™ Sea Salt
For the Fresh Cherry Sauce
- 1.2 lbs Fresh cherries, pitted
- ¼ cup White granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2-3 tsp Corn starch
Instructions
For the Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl, add the crushed graham cracker, melted butter, Member's Mark™ Ground Cinnamon, and Member's Mark™ Organic Ground Ginger, and mix well.
- Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared tin by using the bottom of a glass. Bake for 10 minutes while making the filling.
- Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese on low-med speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sugar and vanilla and beat well, again scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Add the eggs and extra yolk one at a time, beating until each is well incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, Member's Mark™ Sea Salt, lemon juice, and zest, beating until combined.
- Remove the crust from the oven. Pour the filling over the top of the crust base and smooth the top.
- Place a dish or baking sheet filled with warm water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Then place the cheesecake onto a separate baking sheet (to catch any butter that might leak out in cooking) and place in the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 55-65 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for half an hour with the door closed, then open the door and let it cool for a further 1/2 an hour before removing it. Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge.
- While the cheesecake is cooling, make the cherry sauce.
For the Fresh Cherry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, water, lemon juice, and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down so the mixture is just simmering.
- Continue to let simmer, being sure to stir every so often for about 10 minutes until the cherries have softened and the liquid has tripled. Use a spoon to skim off froth as it’s cooking.
- In a small bowl, make a slurry using the corn starch and 3 teaspoons of water. Slowly dribble the slurry into the cherries while stirring constantly so that it doesn’t turn lumpy. The sauce will also thicken more upon cooling.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Add 2 cups of the cherry sauce to the top of your cheesecake, and serve!
