Vanilla Cheesecake With Cherry Topping

DIRECTIONS

• 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 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.
• 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 beans, 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, 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.
• 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.