Black Forest Cherry Cheesecake - cooking recipe

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 1 tablespoon 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

Preparation

To prepare the cherry topping, place 2 cups cherries in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.
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.
Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
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.
Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350\u00b0F for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300\u00b0F.
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 mini chips.
Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 300\u00b0F for 50 minutes or until almost set (center will not be firm, but will set up as it chills).
Turn oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack.
Spread cherry topping over cheesecake. Top with cherry halves. Cover and chill 8 hours.