Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping

We use the entire vanilla bean, so none of it is wasted: The seeds flavor the cheesecake, and the bean halves flavor the topping.

Up to two months ahead: Both the cheesecake and the topping can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator. Or make the cheesecake up to 2 months ahead and freeze. Before freezing, chill the cooled cheesecake in the pan for 2 hours; then wrap pan in a heavy-duty plastic wrap. Thaw the cheesecake in the refrigerator.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice cheesecake and about 2 tablespoons topping)

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 3/4  cup  graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 2  teaspoons  water
• Cooking spray
• 
  Filling:
• 3  (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2  (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup  sugar
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream
• 4  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 1  vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 
  Topping:
• 2/3  cup  tawny port or other sweet red wine
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 2  (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 4  teaspoons  cornstarch
• 4  teaspoons  water

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

To prepare topping, combine port, 1/2 cup sugar, cherries, and reserved vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy. Remove vanilla bean halves; discard.

Combine juice, cornstarch, and 4 teaspoons water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Serve over cheesecake.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

324 (30% from fat)

Fat:

10.7g (sat 6.1g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:

12.2g

Carbohydrate:

42.8g

Fiber:

1g

Cholesterol:

83mg

Iron:

0.8mg

Sodium:

458mg

Calcium:

134mg