Fresh Cherry Fruit Crunch

Ingredients

Easy Crunch Crust

• 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
• 1 cup butter, melted and at room temp
• 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Cheese Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, soften to room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream

Cherry Topping

• 4 1/2 cups fresh cherries, halved (whole if you have a cherry pitter)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (the real thing, please)

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare cherries and set aside.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. 3

   Crust: Mix all the crust ingredients together and press inside an 8"x11" baking dish. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. 4

   Filling: Whip cream and sugar til just holding peaks then fold in soften cream cheese. Don't whip this in as it tends to get liquidy.

5. 5

   Spread cheese mixture over crust carefully and reffrigerate.

6. 6

   Topping: Put cherries and sugar into sauce over low heat.

7. 7

   Whisk cornstarch with water and stir into cherries.

8. 8

   Raise heat to medium. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring regularly.

9. 9

   Remove from heat and stir in extract.

10. 10

    Allow to cool, stirring now and then.

11. 11

    Spread over cheese mixture and chill.