Sweet Cheesecake Recipes
Cherry Brandy Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cherry Brandy Sauce
- 32 ounces frozen dark cherries, thawed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup cherry brandy
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Cheesecake Crust
- 2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 7 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey (slightly warmed)
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 (8 ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 extra large eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1 (3 ounce) package lady fingers
- 1/4 cup cherry brandy
Brandy Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon cherry brandy
- Confectioners' sugar to taste
Instructions
Cherry Brandy Sauce
- Bring all ingredients to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has reduced by about half. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, place cherries and liquid in a blender and puree.
- Cheesecake Crust: Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 10 inch springform pan.
- Mix crust ingredients thoroughly. Pour mixture into the pan and press into the bottom and halfway up the sides.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool on counter.
Cheesecake Filling
- Ingredients should be at room temperature.
- In a medium bowl blend Neufchatel, sour cream, vanilla bean paste, honey and sugar. Add whole eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly between each addition.
- Clean beaters. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly fold egg whites into cheese mixture until just incorporated.
- Line the cooled crust with a single layer of lady fingers. Brush lady fingers with cherry brandy. Pour about a third of the cheese mixture over the top of the lady fingers.
- Lightly spoon 1 1/2 cups cherry puree onto the cheese mixture, leaving 1/2 inch of space from the edge of the pan. Pour the rest of the cheese mixture over the cherry puree.
- Wrap pan with aluminum foil to the top of the pan and then place pan in a deep roasting dish. Add boiling water to the roasting dish until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes. Do not over bake. The center will still be soft and wiggly.
- Let cool on counter for 45 minutes.
- Lightly cover with clear wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Serve with remaining cherry sauce and whipped cream.
Brandy Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- Beat whipping cream to firm peaks. Beat mascarpone and brandy until soft. Gently fold mascarpone in small batches into the cream. Add sugar to taste.