DIETS: VT Serves 10 Time: 2 hours, plus overnight refrigeration
Ingredients: Crust:
1 1/3 cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate teddy grahams
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tablespoons sugar
Filling:
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Topping:
8 oz (1 cup) carton dairy sour cream
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
21-oz can cherry pie filling
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325F.
In a small bowl, stir together all crust ingredients. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of 9" spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes and cool completely.
In medium bowl beat egg whites at high speed, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form (1-2 min); set aside.
In large bowl combine 1/2 cup butter, cream cheese and egg yolks. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth and creamy (2-3 min). Add remaining filling ingredients except egg whites. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1-2 min). By hand, fold in beaten egg whites.
Spoon filling into prepared pan. Bake for 60-80 min or until center is set and firm to the touch (Cheesecake surface will be cracked).
After it has cooled for about 15 minutes, loosen sides of cheesecake from pan by running knife around inside of pan. Cool completely (cheesecake center will dip slightly upon cooling).
In small bowl stir together sour cream, 2 Tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake.
Spoon out 2-3 Tablespoons of cherry sauce from pie filling can and drop by teaspoonfuls onto sour cream topping. Carefully pull knife or toothpick through cherry sauce forming swirls or hearts or whatever you prefer.
Cover; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Serve remaining cherry pie filling over slices of cheesecake, if desired.
Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories 628 Total Fat 40 g Cholesterol 171 mg Sodium 432 mg Potassium 191 mg Total Carbohydrate 61 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Sugars 36 g Protein 8 g