Cherry Sauce

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
4 cups (552 g) sweet cherries (fresh or frozen), pitted*
1/4 to 1/3 cups (60 ml) water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan (off the heat), add water (use 1/3 cup for fresh cherries and 1/4 cup water for frozen cherries). Whisk in 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp sugar.
2. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture starts to thicken.
3. Add cherries and cook stirring occasionally until sauce is at a light boil (about 6-10 minutes for fresh cherries and 12-15 minutes for frozen). The sauce should be thickened and uniformly bubbling, not just at the edges, then remove from heat.
4. Cool to room temperature then cover and store in the refrigerator in a glass mason jar or Tupperware container until ready to use. It will thicken more as it stands.

To accompany cheesecake.

Perfect New York Style Cheesecake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 10 hours

Ingredients
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups (125g) graham cracker crumbs from 12 whole crackers
6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
1 Tbsp granulated sugar

For the Cheesecake:
2 1/4 lb (1 kg) cream cheese room temperature (4 1/2 packages, 8-oz each)
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
6 large eggs room temperature
1/4 cup (57.5g) sour cream
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions
How to Make Cheesecake Crust:

1. Crush graham crackers into crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs together with melted butter and sugar and stir until moistened.
2. Press crumbs into a 9" springform pan, going up the sides slightly. Bake in the centre of the oven at 350˚F for 8 minutes then cool to room temperature.
3. Place 2 large sheets of extra-wide heavy-duty foil on the counter. Set the springform pan in the centre and fold the foil up the sides of the pan ensuring there are no rips or holes. Fan the foil out slightly at the tops to keep the rim clear for rising.

How to Make Perfect Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F/230˚C. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Beat on medium/high speed for 5 minutes until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl and attachment as needed.
2. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, letting them incorporate between each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Reduce speed to low and add 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Pour batter over the foil-wrapped springform pan with your cooled crust.

How to Bake Cheesecake in a Water Bath:

1. Boil a pot of water (boil more than you think you'll need to ensure there's enough). Set your cheesecake pan in a deep roasting pan. Pour hot water around the edges about half-way up the sides of the springform pan (1 1/2" to 2" of water).
2. Carefully transfer cheesecake to the centre rack of the oven and bake at 450˚F/230˚C for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 225˚F/110˚C and without opening the door, bake additional 60-70 minutes or until centre of cheesecake wobbles slightly when you tap the pan.
3. Remove cheesecake from the oven and let it rest in the roasting pan with water for 45 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight to fully set before slicing.

Make cherry sauce as accompaniment. 

Recipe from Natasha's Kitchen

Shortbread

YIELD: 20 FINGERS

PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME 40 minutes

Ingredients
340 g (2 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
113 g (1/2 cup) sugar
227 g butter, (2 sticks) softened
a little extra sugar for sprinkling on top of baked shortbread

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375º F (190 ºC)
2. Mix all the ingredients together by hand or mixer, to a stiff consistency (the butter shouldn't be too soft, but also not straight from the fridge, especially if you use a mixer). Don't overwork the dough; stop when it just comes together
3. Roll out into the shape of a pan or tin you want to bake them in. I baked this in an 8 x 8 pan. Trim the edges to the approximate size.
4. FINGERS: Place it in the pan of your choice. One mistake many people make is rolling the shortbread too thin. Proper shortbread should be quite thick (no less than 3/4" or 2cm if making fingers). Tip: make sure your fingers are wide enough that a fork can prick them. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into fingers. Next, prick the shortbread with a fork, about half way through.
5. ROUND: You can also shape the dough into a ball, roll it out into a round, and score into triangles, then prick with a fork.
6. MOULD: (brush the mold with a little oil, and sugar first to ensure it comes out nicely). Roll out the dough, place over the mould and roll again to press into it. Remove the excess dough then turn out onto a tray. If your shortbread mould doesn't have a pretty design, prick it with a fork
7. Place in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly brown on edges. Sprinkle with sugar immediately upon removing from the oven. Shortbread shouldn't be darkly colored. Let your shortbread cool on or in the pan or tray before moving to rack to cool completely.

Notes
Store in a sealed container (an old Walker's tin is excellent) and keep in a cool, dry place. Shortbread will keep well for weeks, but is also excellent after being frozen.

If you plan to keep your shortbread for more than two weeks, I'd suggest freezing it.

Nutrition Information:
YIELD: 10
SERVING SIZE: 1
Amount Per Serving:

CALORIES: 333

TOTAL FAT: 19g

SATURATED FAT: 12g

TRANS FAT: 1g

UNSATURATED FAT: 6g

CHOLESTEROL: 49mg

SODIUM: 147mg

CARBOHYDRATES: 38g

FIBER: 1g

SUGAR: 12g

PROTEIN: 4g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

Source: https://www.christinascucina.com/how-to-make-shortbread/