First, I must confess... I used a store bought crust! <gasp!> I know, I know! To make a long story less longer than necessary, this cheesecake was a last minute attempt to use up some cherries that I had stored in ...my freezer. These were delicious, beautiful, farm fresh cherries and I couldn't bear the thought of letting them go to waste. And what better way to eat cherries than on top of a cheesecake?? So this post focuses only on the cheesecake filling and the cherry topping. I promise that next time I make a cheesecake I will make the crust myself, because lets face it, a store bought crust tastes like a store bought crust! 
FILLING:
16 oz. neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
1 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1.5 C plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, beat the Neufchâtel cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add in the sugar a little at a time and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the eggs 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Blend in the greek yogurt being careful to not over beat as this will incorporate too much air into the batter. Pour filling into a prepared crust and smooth the top.
NOTE: If you choose to use a store bought crust you may end up with leftover batter.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle slightly (it will firm up after chilling). Be careful not to overcook! Do not put a toothpick in the cake’s center to check for doneness, this will make a crack. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
TOPPING:
1.5 C of previously frozen cherries, pitted
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Directions:
In a small sauce pan, over med/high heat, heat up the cherries while smashing them down with a potato masher. Add sugar and cornstarch and allow to simmer long enough for the juice to become thickened and sauce like. (this takes just a couple of minutes) Remove from heat. Use as a topping warm or cooled.
16 oz. neufchâtel cheese, room temperature
1 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon
1.5 C plain Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, beat the Neufchâtel cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth. Add in the sugar a little at a time and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the eggs 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Blend in the greek yogurt being careful to not over beat as this will incorporate too much air into the batter. Pour filling into a prepared crust and smooth the top.
NOTE: If you choose to use a store bought crust you may end up with leftover batter.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle slightly (it will firm up after chilling). Be careful not to overcook! Do not put a toothpick in the cake’s center to check for doneness, this will make a crack. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
TOPPING:
1.5 C of previously frozen cherries, pitted
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Directions:
In a small sauce pan, over med/high heat, heat up the cherries while smashing them down with a potato masher. Add sugar and cornstarch and allow to simmer long enough for the juice to become thickened and sauce like. (this takes just a couple of minutes) Remove from heat. Use as a topping warm or cooled.
No comments:
Post a Comment