Black Forest Cheesecake

Gather the ingredients.

 Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray or softened butter.

To make crust, place wafer cookies, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until fine crumbs form.

Add melted butter and process until combined, scraping bowl periodically with a rubber spatula, if necessary.

Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and firmly press crumbs into bottom and 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pan. Place crust in freezer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place chocolate and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high in 30 second bursts, until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Bake crust for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating at halfway point until dry and fragrant.

To prepare cheesecake filling, in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix cream cheese, light brown sugar, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix on medium-low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl with a rubber spatula, as needed.

Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until incorporated, and scraping down bowl as needed.

Stir flour into cooled chocolate mixture.

Add chocolate mixture to stand mixer bowl and mix on low until just combined. 

Transfer filling to prepared pan and place it on a cookie sheet in oven. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, until edges are set, but middle jiggles just a bit. 

Turn oven off, crack oven door, and leave cheesecake in oven to cool for one hour. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool on counter at room temperature.

For toppings, place cherries, 1 /3 cup granulated sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup Kirsch in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until sugar melts and cherries burst and release their juice, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Place remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, a few tablespoons cherry juice from compote, and 3 tablespoons of the remaining Kirsch in the now clean bowl of stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until medium peaks form.

To serve, spread Kirsh whipped cream over cooled cheesecake. Serve immediately or chill, tightly covered, in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve slices of cheesecake with a generous spoonful or two of cherry compote.