Black Forest Cherry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Cherry topping

• 2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Crust

• 1 1/3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
• 1 large egg white
• cooking spray

Filling

• 1 cup nonfat sour cream
• 1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened (1/3 less fat)
• 8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 36 dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved

Directions

1. 1

   To prepare the cherry topping, place 2 cups cherries in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.

2. 2

   Combine the pureed cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour cherry topping into a bowl; cover and chill.

3. 3

   Preheat oven to 350.

4. 4

   To prepare the crust, combine the crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, and egg white in a bowl; toss with a fork until well-blended.

5. 5

   Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300.

6. 6

   To prepare the filling, combine sour cream, milk, and cheeses in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and eggs; beat well. Stir in minichips.

7. 7

   Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 50 minutes or until almost set (center will not be firm, but will set up as it chills).

8. 8

   Turn oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack.

9. 9

   Spread cherry topping over cheesecake. Top with cherry halves. Cover and chill 8 hours.