BLACK FOREST CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

• CHERRY TOPPING:
• 2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• CRUST:
• 1 1/3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 9 1/2 cookie sheets)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
• 1 large egg white
• Cooking spray
• FILLING:
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
• 36 dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved

Directions

To prepare the cherry topping, place 2 cups cherries in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Combine the puried cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour cherry topping into a bowl; cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare the crust, combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, and egg white in a bowl; toss with a fork until well-blended. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300F.

To prepare the filling, combine sour cream, milk and cheeses in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Stir in minichips. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300F for 50 minutes or until almost set (center will not be firm, but will set up as it chills). Turn oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Spread cherry topping over cheesecake. Top with cherry halves. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Internet
Submitted By: Marlen
matchlessm@aol.com
BLACK FOREST CHERRY CHEESECAKE