Vanilla Cheesecake With Cherry Topping

Lizzie Rodriquez's Note:

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• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons water
• nonstick cooking spray
• 24 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
• 16 ounces light cream cheese, 1/3 less fat, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces nonfat sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2/3 cup red wine, sweet, such as tawny port
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 20 ounces frozen pitted tart cherries, sweet not tart
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. 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 1½ inches up sides of a 9 spring form pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325.
4. 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 beans, stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.
5. 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.
6. To prepare topping, combine port, ½ 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.
7. 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.