CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

• 1 cup graham-cracker crumbs

  1/2 cup California walnuts finely chopped

  1/3 cup butter melted (cooled it to room temp)

  1 3/4 cups sugar divided

  24 oz cream cheese 3 8-oz pkgs

  6 large eggs

  2 cups sour cream

  2 tbsp cornstarch

  1 tbsp lemon juice

  2 tsp vanilla extract

Cherry Topping

• 21 ounce can cherry pie filling

• 1 tbsp grated lemon peel

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl with a fork, mix first three ingredients and 1/4 cup sugar. Press mixture firmly on bottom and around side of 9″ x 3″ springform pan to within 1 1/2″ of the top.

• In a large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth; slowly beat in 1 1/2 cups sugar. With mixer at low speed, beat in eggs (one at a time) and remaining ingredients, except cherry topping. At medium speed, beat three minutes.

• I recommend a water bath to gently bake the cheesecake. Wrap the bottom of the springform pan with heavy duty foil. 

• Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Place cheesecake pan in the center of a roasting pan and gently add a couple inches of water. Carefully place the entire thing into the preheated over and bake 1 hour or until lightly browned.

• Turn off the oven and open the door partially. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in pan on a wire rack.

• Cover pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.

• To serve: remove side of pan. With large spatula; loosen cake from pan bottom, slide onto plate.

• Mix together all topping ingredients. Spoon cherry topping evenly over cheesecake.

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