Fresh Cherry Cheesecake
Creamy and luscious with the flavor notes of fresh cherries, pistachio, and lemon running throughout, this fresh cherry cheesecake never disappoints.
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch tall sides
- electric mixer
- food processor
- 8 x 8 pan
Ingredients
Fresh cherry sauce
- 4 cups fresh cherries stems removed pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- Juice from one lemon
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Pistachio crust
- 1 1/4 tablespoons butter melted, divided
- 1 1/4 cup raw pistachios
- 9 graham crackers about 1 sleeve
- pinch coarse kosher salt
Fresh cherry cheesecake filling
- 4 (8-ounce) cream cheese packages cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon divided
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup fresh cherry sauce recipe follows
- 4 eggs
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour regular and gluten free flour both work in this recipe.
To decorate
- 2 cups fresh cherries pitted and halved
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- zest and juice of 1 lemon divided
- 1/3 cup fresh cherry sauce recipe follows, plus more for serving
Instructions
To make the fresh cherry sauce
- Add the halved, pitted cherries to a saucepan, stir in the water, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Bring the mixture just to a boil over medium heat, as soon as you see the first bubbles form and start to pop, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Using the back of the spoon to break up the cherries as it cooks.
- Once thickened remove the cherry sauce from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Blend until smooth. The filling can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the cheesecake
To make the pistachio crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and brush the walls and the base of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/4 tablespoon of the melted butter.
- Add the pistachios to the bowl of a food processor and pulse 10-12 times until coarse crumbs are formed. Remove 1/4 cup of the pistachio crumbs and set aside.
- Add the graham crackers to the food processor and process until the mixture has reached the consistency of fine crumbs. Slowly stream in the remianing melted butter with the food processor running. Stop to scrape sides if necessary, set aside.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup pistachio crumbs into the prepared pan. Tilt and roll the pan until the sides of the springform pan are coated in pistachio crumbs. Press the mixture in the food processor into the bottom of the pan to form the crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completley while preparing the filling.
To make the fresh cherry cheesecake filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the softened cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the cherry sauce and beat until incorporated.
- Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then add the flour. Beat until incorporated. Pour the filling onto the crust in the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Place the filled springform pan inside of the 8x8 baking dish and place both pans in the oven. Before closing the oven door, carefully fill the pan 1/3 of the way up the sides of the springform pan with very hot water.
- Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, use a pairing knife to loosen the sides the cheesecake from the pan. Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before decorating to serve.
To serve
- Combine the cherry halves, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir to combine then set aside to macerate.
- Pour the fresh cherry sauce over the top and spread to the edges.
- Arrange the macerated cherries around the edges. Sprinkle the lemon zest around the outside edge. Serve immediatley. Store any leftovers in the refridgerator.
Notes
This recipe requires 3 lemons total divided throughout the crust, sauce, filling, and garnish.
A note about the fresh cherry sauce
You will have more fresh cherry sauce than you need for the recipe and topping so the there is plenty left for serving on the side of each slice. Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!