Cherry Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of the easiest desserts I make anytime of the year. We love regular cheesecake as well as with the addition of seasonal fruits. This smooth and creamy cheesecake with fresh cherry sauce swirled in the center and the top on a gluten free brownie crust is perfect for summer get together.

All my cheesecakes recipes are made with low fat cream cheese and sour cream. The crust and the filling are low in sugar as well. No one ever understands the difference. It still tastes rich and smooth. A guilt-free treat for all!

Ingredients~
For the crust:

3/4 cup Belgian dark chocolate(60-70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp salted butter

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar or as per taste

1 tsp. orange zest

1/2 cup oat flour or all purpose gluten free flour, sifted
1 tbsp tapioca flour(if using oat flour)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

For the cherry sauce~
1 1/2 cups pitted fresh cherry
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp tapioca flour or corn starch


For the filling~
16 ounce 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened (at room temperature)
2 eggs( at room temperature)
3/4 -1 cup sugar
1 tbsp corn starch or tapioca flour
1 cup light sour cream (at room temperature)
3 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the whipped cream cheese frosting~
1/4 cup super cold heavy cream
1/2 cup low fat cream cheese, at the room temperature
1- 1 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
cup fresh pitted and halved cherries

Method~
Place pitted fresh cherries, tapioca flour and sugar in a heavy bottom medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until softened and thickened for 10 minutes stirring in between constantly. Strain through a sieve and mash with the back of a spoon to extract cherry pulp as much as possible. Let it cool completely. 

For the cake crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar. In a separate bowl sift the oat flour, tapioca flour, coca powder and baking powder. Pour the egg mixture and orange zest into the melted chocolate and mix well, then gently fold in the flour mix until just combined. Pour the mixture into the parchment lined 8-inch round spring-form pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For the filling,  mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, Vanilla extract, tapioca flour and eggs until just smooth but do not over mix. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the cake crust. Drop 1/4 spoonful of cherry sauce over the batter and swirl with a knife or a tooth pick. Top with the remaining cheesecake batter and save the sauce. 

Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake it for 55-60 minutes until surface set but still jiggly in the middle. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Run a blunt knife around edge of the spring form pan. Remove and transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

While cheesecake is being chilled prepare the frosting. Chill a coffee mug and 1 wire whisk or electric beater attachment for at last half an hour then whip the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Add in cream cheese beat until smooth. 

Spoon cherry sauce in the middle of cheesecake followed by whipped cream cheese. Refrigerate at least half an hour before serving. Place halved cherries on top. Slice with a knife and clean with a wet paper or kitchen towel between each slice. Enjoy!

Happy Baking!