Many moons ago a chap called Neil Diamond sang ‘Cherry, Cherry’. Before the comb-over. Or did he always have a comb-over? Anyway I was listening to that tune in the interminable jam on the A240 into South London when I decided to create a cheesecake with cherry influences.
That’s all bull – I found the recipe in a supermarket cookbook. I like the song though.
You can create two types of cheesecake – ones you bake and ones you don’t. I prefer the non-bake version as there is less to go wrong.
All you’ll need – except the cream. And the cheese…..
To create (and it is a creation) Cherry Cheesecake you’ll need:
- 220g digestive biscuits
- 75g unsalted butter
- 400g of cream cheese
- 150g caster sugar (white)
- 200ml double (heavy) cream
- 200g white chocolate (the best that money can buy)
and…
- 400g cherries (pitted)
- 50g golden caster sugar
Line a 23cm springform tin with cling film:
Now smash merry hell out of the biscuits in a big bowl:
Melt the butter and stir into the biscuits:
Now push the biscuit mix into the base of the tin and put in the fridge to chill:
Meanwhile its time to construct the filling. First melt the white chocolate in a bowl over some simmering water:
Cream the soft cheese and caster sugar:
Then whisk the cream until it starts to form peaks. Now to combine your three bowls of creamy whiteness:
First stir the chocolate into the cheese. Then fold in the cream gently so that you don’t force the air out:
You end up with a gloriously shiny, creamy and totally delicious concoction which is now added to the biscuit base:
Smooth out evenly:
Put in the fridge to chill and set for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Lastly the cherry topping (optional really but the the cherries cut through the creamy sugariness a bit which gives a nice contrast).
First heat the pitted, halved cherries in a saucepan for a bit till they start to mush up a bit. Then add the sugar and simmer:
I also added some cherry brandy because its been hanging around with nothing to do:
Keep simmering until the juice reduces a bit and allow to cool down. Remove the cheesecake from the tin:
Lastly top the cheesecake with the cherries and pour the juice over the lot:
The juice soaks into the filling but that actually adds to the overall effect:
Disgusting – that is absolutely disgusting … I couldn’t possibly eat one piece of that cheese cake. I’d have to eat the whole thing. Hahahaha
YUMMY …!!!!
I know – it was dreadful – but we muckered ththrough – and finished it!
That sounds so good – do you happen to have the conversation for measurements for those in the U.S.?
I think its:
220g digestive biscuits – a packet (about 11 biscuits)
75g unsalted butter – 3/4 of a stick
400g of cream cheese -2 cups
150g caster sugar (white) – 1 cup of superfine
200ml double (heavy) cream – just under half a pint
200g white chocolate (the best that money can buy) – about 8 ounces
The cherries equal about 1 big punnet i reckon – good luck!
You see, this is the perfect recipe for the left over cherries from my cherry vodka! ….and you don’t need the brandy. We make a good team
Cherry vodka would have been good – i could have set fire to it – flaming cheesecake!
Wow! Wow! You had me at the white chocolate bit.. but then you brought out the cherry brandy!! This is a cheesecake for a special occasion.. I’ve got to find one of those soon!! Fantastic!
Yes the cherry brandy just sits around waiting for something to happen!
I wish I had seen this the other day when I was looking for a simple dessert recipe. As you know, I am not a sweet treats queen, but I am setting myself up to step up to the challenge.
Yes its quite hard to find asweet things that are original
Okay—exsqueeze me, but my mailbox is full of comments about Stan’s chocolate cheesecake and cherries. C’mon, peeps, is Stan’s c.c. w/ c. the be-all-end-all of c. w/ c’s? Have you tired Stan’s recipe? Have you TRIED PITTING CHERRIES?
I for one can tell you, Stan had me at ’400g cherries (pitted)’.
FIRST OFF, we with AmerriCan measuring cups don’t know what the heck 400g is. And SECOND OFF, pitting said 400g of cherries? Hello!? Pitting cherries is a pain in the buttsky!
Who’s helping me out here in the kitchen? Cathy? Starproms? Diana? Scrounge Mom? Suburbia?
And BTW, who’s bringing the cherry brandy? Because THAT sounds good. xx
Pitting cherries is painful but nowhere near as bad a de-bearding mussels!
Wow, now this recipe is very pretty. I’ve got a lot of cherries to put up in the freezer, I’m thinking now I need to make your recipe with a few of them.
I had to top up this one with frozen cherries – and they were already pitted – much less faffing about
My sweet tooth just exploded. This is going to be my girlfriend’s birthday cake.
She’ll appreciate it I’m sure!
I can’t wait to try this recipe next week!
good luck!
My mouth is watering
So’s mine – this killer diet is like seriously boring – i’m living off food porn – the looking kind
The only kind I’m allowed too
Looks absolutely delicious! Great combination. I think I’ll use amaretti for the base.
Yes that sounds like a good idea – here every cheesecake recipe starts with digestive biscuits – gets a bit same-same…
Nice! That looks really beautiful!
I think the taste made up for the aesthetic shortcomings – not that I would know I didnt try it – honest!
Goopy and yummy!
Finding a chunk of cheesecake in Manhattan that costs less than $15 is the yearly challenge in our family. My kids have this idea that cheesecake flows freely in NYC, like chocolate at Willy Wonka’s.
I’ll have to make a batch of this one up and stash it in my luggage for next time. Willy Wonka indeed!
I reckon Wonka would make a kind of cheesecake bed out of this bad boy!
Wow that looks good and the cheesecake looks easy, tasty, and low cal (I don’t think so).
So rich it would take a trip through the Rockies to work it off i reckon
Looks great! Cheesecake is my all time favorite! Send some this way!
i could try but would it post that well?!?!?!
That looks truly delectable! Cheesecake is the king of desserts. So yum.
yes it was king although i would prefer milk or dark
I don’t even like cheesecake and yet somehow I want to eat these photographs.
Thats the way i deal with this stuff- i gorge on the pics but dont actually eat the stuff
Looks great and I bet it tastes that great too. Love white chocolate (and cherries)!
yes it tasted better than it looks although im pretending i didnt actually taste it – it went to my wife’s work…
You had me at white chocolate and cheesecake!
Yes i had yself at that one
Cherries and cheesecake are boon companions – each completes the other!
indeed they do – its just a big creamy collection of loveliness!
Oh WOW! Now that looks awesome. The white chocolate is the way to go & I agree with you – got to get the best for something like this.
I didnt spot the chocolate element till i got the ingredients together then had to go and buy it!
That looks sooooooooooo fabulous. Just saying.
Bonnie
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yes it was fabulosa
That looks totally delicious and I must try it very soon. I’ve never made cheesecake with white chocolate before but it appeals! How do you pit and stone the cherries? Have you got a magic device or is it hard labour?
a mix of hard labour and also some frozen ones in the freezer all ready to go (i didnt buy enough fresh)
Ha ha that’s me all over. I’ve heard you can get a cherry stoner, I must look out for one. My teeth won’t stand too many more breakages!
My latest food unpleasantness is dried mushrooms that you rehydrate – they are full of grit no matter how much you rinse them – like eating sand
Wow! Looks wonderful – the first cheesecake I ever had was a black cherry one. I think I might just have to make this… Thanks for the recipe!
very tasty – although i wouldnt know that because i didnt eat it!