Cherry Cheesecake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s recipe is going to use those sour cherries we so carefully canned or froze in 4 cup containers last August.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cherry Season in Alberta takes place in early to mid August.  Only sour cherries are grown in Alberta.  Evans cherries are a sour cherry variety native to Alberta that can withstand our -40° winter nights. They are a large, tart and tangy sour cherry that is a prolific producer – each of my trees usually yields a 5 gallon pail of the luscious fruit. Lots of cherries to can for a low calorie delicious dessert and to use in fabulous baked desserts. They can be canned with or without the pits, depending on the intended use. Evans Cherries yield lots of fruit for jams and jellies  and  many containers of pitted cherries in the freezer for wonderful desserts like today’s no-bake  Cherry Cheesecake.

Note: If you don’t have this variety of cherry in your area, any sour cherry will do. If there are no sour cherries available at all, then use a good commercial cherry pie filling for the topping.

Fresh cherries in season can be easily frozen for use later. Simply wash, pit or not, and place 4 cups of cherries and any juice into jars or plastic containers. Seal tightly and date your containers. They stay well in the freezer for 8 to 12 months. When thawing, thaw in fridge overnight. You do not need to add any sugar or fruit preservative. I suggest that you use 4 cup amounts for the freezer, as recipes for pies and other desserts typically call for that amount. (Special thanks to Frieda and Lola for suggesting that a straw works really well for pitting cherries. Center the straw over the pit and push it thru and out the other side – brilliant!))

Our Best Baking Recipes Cherry Cheesecake is an easy no-bake cheesecake that is a chilled dessert that serves 10 to 12 people. When garnished with a generous dollop of whipped cream  flavored with a tablespoon of Kirsch or a teaspoon of almond extract  and topped with a fresh cherry or two, this dessert is sure to please your most discriminating guest. At our house, this cheesecake is the one most requested for birthday celebrations.

Preparation:

Butter or spray non-stick baking spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.

Preheat oven 375°F.

Crust:

3 cups graham wafer crumbs

½ cup melted butter

½ cup sugar

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until butter is evenly distributed.
2. Press firmly into prepared baking pan.
3. Bake 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool on cooling rack.

Cheesecake:

12 oz. (1 ½ cups) cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup icing (confectioner’s) sugar

1 cup whipping cream or 2 packages whipped topping prepared with 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
2. In a second bowl, whip cream to which you have added 1 package Whip It (whipping cream stabilizer) and 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff. OR Prepare the whipped topping as directed on the box.
3. Add whipped cream/topping to cream cheese mixture and fold in until well combined.
4. Spread over cooled crumb crust and chill.

Cherry Topping:

¼ cup cornstarch

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup cherry juice (or other red tart juice e.g. cranberry)

4 cups pitted sour cherries, drained

Flavoring – 1 tablespoon Kirsch OR 1 teaspoon almond extract and 2 teaspoons vanilla

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugars.
2. Slowly whisk in the cherry juice.
3. Heat over medium heat until thickened and clear – it will be very thick.
4. Immediately add the drained cherries and stirring constantly bring cherries back to a boil.
5. Remove from heat (Cherries are a very tender fruit and should not be overcooked).
6. Add flavorings.
7. Let cool to room temperature before spreading over the cheesecake layer.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the cheesecake at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Tags: cheesecake, cherries, cherry cheesecake, Evans cherries, Evans Cherry Cheesecake, no bake cheesecake, sour cherries

Category: Desserts