New York Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 pound cherries fresh pitted
• 0.3 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1  cinnamon sticks 
• 24 ounces cream cheese 
• 12 ounces crème fraîche 
• 5  eggs separated
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
• 0.3 cup heavy cream 
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (recommended: Meyer lemon)
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 5 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 sprigs thyme leaves with string)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 0.5  vanilla pod split
• 2 cups water 
• 8 servings serving suggestion with a dessert wine (recommended: alsatian riesling).

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• mixing bowl
• springform pan

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Special equipment: a 9-inch non-stick Teflon coated spring form pan
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
4. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in a mixing bowl.
5. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and using a mixing cup press the crumbs into the base. Using your fingers gently press crumbs into the sides of the pan.
6. Bake for 6 minutes.
7. Let cool.
8. In a food processor, cream the cream cheese and the sugar together.
9. Add the zest and vanilla, Blend until smooth.
10. Add 5 egg yolks and heavy cream, pulse until smooth.
11. Pour into a large clean bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until a soft froth forms.
12. Add 2 tablespoons sugar slowly to the egg whites and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese, a little bit at a time until fully integrated.
13. Pour into the prepared springform pan.
14. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm.
15. Let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
16. Mix the creme fraiche and sugar together and gently spread over the top of the cooled cheesecake.
17. Bake for 5 minutes.
18. Let cool until the topping is set or chill overnight and serve. Best served at room temperature.
19. Serve with Cherry Confit.
20. In a medium non-corrosive saucepan place water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and thyme. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
21. Add cherries and simmer for 1 hour. If more liquid is needed add water. Continue to simmer until the cherry mixture is thick and the cherries are soft.
22. Pour into a clean container and refrigerate until ready to use.