CHERRY CHEESECAKE
6 hours cooking time
CHERRY CHEESECAKE
Method
1
Remove the seeds from 1kg of fresh and washed cherries.
2
Crush cookies into crumbs. Melt butter and stir it into the cookie crumbs.
3
Cut non-stick paper to the exact size of your springform tin(26 cm) and place it into the bottom. Transfer your cookie-butter mixture to the paper in the tinand press down on it with the base of a tablespoon to spread it evenly and make it compact. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
4
Using a mixer, beat the whipping cream until it makes soft peaks.
5
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla seeds from the pod or extract and add lemon juice until completely combined. Carefully fold the whipping cream into the cheese mixture with circular movements from bottom to top.
6
Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Pour and spread the cheese-cream mixture over it, smoothing the surface. Put it back in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set.
For the cherry jam
1
Put the cherries in a saucepan over medium heat, along with water and lemon juice to boil.
2
After about 5 minutes when they have softened, crush the cherries. After 10 minutes, the pulp will start to take on a deep colour and thicken.
3
Remove the pot from the heat and pass the contents through a relatively thin strainer into a bowl. Push the pulp through by pressing with a spoon.
4
Put the strained pulp back into the pot with sugar and simmer until it sets. Allow to cool and thicken further.
5
Remove the springform pan with the half-finished cheesecake from the fridge. Make sure that the cream and cheese mixture has firmed.
6
Gently spread the cold jam evenly on the surface of the cheesecake, creating a thin layer of sweet cherry flavour on which the fresh seedless cherries will sit and stick.
7
Starting from the centre, place the cherries in circles going outwards until the entire circumference of the cheesecake is covered.
8
Put it back in the fridge to set until it's time to serve.