Cherry Cheesecake Recipe
Category: Desserts
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Digestive biscuits | 180g |
| Unsalted butter | 100g |
| Ricotta cheese | 750g |
| Cream cheese | 250g |
| Powdered sugar | 50g |
| Fresh cherries | 20 |
| Gelatin sheets (for the base) | 10g |
| Vanilla bean | 1 |
| Fresh cherries (for topping) | 780g |
| Granulated sugar | 200g |
| Lemon juice | 70g |
| Lemon zest | 1 |
| Gelatin sheets (for the topping) | 10g |
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Base
Start by making the base of your cherry cheesecake. Melt the unsalted butter gently in a pan over low heat, then set it aside to cool slightly. In a food processor, crush the digestive biscuits until finely ground. Combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter, mixing thoroughly until the crumbs are evenly coated.
Next, line a 22 cm (9-inch) springform pan with parchment paper and press the biscuit mixture into the base of the pan. Use the back of a spoon to pack it tightly and evenly. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up the base.
Step 2: Prepare the Cherry Topping
While the base is chilling, wash and pit 900g of fresh cherries, keeping 20 aside for decoration. Place the remaining cherries into a saucepan and add the granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir everything together and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the cherries soften and release their juices.
Once the cherries are cooked, strain them, saving the juice and setting the cherries aside to cool. You will need to divide the juice into two parts: one for the gelatin and one to mix with the cream cheese filling later.
Step 3: Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl, adding them to the cream cheese mixture. Beat everything together until smooth and well combined.
Soak 10g of gelatin sheets in cold water for about 10 minutes. While the gelatin is soaking, heat 50g of the cherry syrup in a small pan just enough to warm it. Once the gelatin sheets have softened, gently squeeze out any excess water, then dissolve them into the warm cherry syrup, stirring until fully dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool slightly before adding it to the cream cheese mixture. Stir well to incorporate.
Once the mixture is smooth, fold in the 20 reserved fresh cherries, which should be sliced into thin pieces. Gently stir from top to bottom, making sure the cherries are evenly distributed in the cream cheese mixture.
Step 4: Assemble the Cheesecake
Retrieve the chilled biscuit base from the freezer. Pour the creamy cheesecake filling onto the base and spread it evenly with a spatula.
Now, soak the remaining 10g of gelatin sheets in cold water, as you did earlier. Heat the rest of the cherry syrup (about 300g) in a saucepan until itβs warm but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the squeezed gelatin sheets until completely dissolved. Let the syrup cool slightly.
Once the syrup has cooled enough, pour it over the set cheesecake filling. Spread the syrup gently over the top, making sure it covers the surface evenly.
Step 5: Chill the Cheesecake
Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator and allow it to chill for 2-3 hours, or until the topping is firm and set.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Once your cherry cheesecake has set, carefully remove it from the springform pan. Decorate with the reserved fresh cherries, and your delicious cherry cheesecake is ready to serve!
Enjoy this delightful and refreshing dessert, perfect for any occasion, especially when you want to impress your guests with a stunning, yet simple dessert.
