KENSINGTONHARDCOVER

MARCH 2006

AHannah SwensenMysteryBy JOANNE FLUKE

For the cheesecake batter:1 cup white (granulated) sugar3 eight-ounce packages cream cheese at roomtemperature (total 24 ounces)1 cup mayonnaise (I used Best Foods)4 eggs2 cups white chocolate chips (12-ounce bag – I used Ghirardelli’s)2 teaspoons vanilla

Use an electric mixer on medium speed to blend sugar, cream cheese, and the mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after eachaddition.

Cherry

Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.,

rack in the middle position

FOR THE CRUST:

2 cups crushed vanilla wafer

cookies (measure AFTER crushing)

3/4 stick melted butter

(6 Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon almond extract

Pour melted butter and almond extract

over the cookie crumbs.

Mix with a fork until they’re evenly

moistened.

Spray a 9-inch springform pan with Pam

or other non-stick cooking spray.

Press the cookie crumbs evenly into th

e

bottom of the pan and an inch or more

up the sides. Freeze the pan, unc

overed,

for 15 to 30 minutes while you mix up

the cheesecake.

FOR THE TOPPING:

2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup white sugar (granulated)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

21-ounce can cherry pie filling

(I used Comstock Dark Sweet Cherry)

Mix the sour cream, sugar, and vanill

a

together in a small bowl. Cover and

refrigerate. Also refrigerate the

unopened can of cherry pie filling

.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDERCHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDER

ALSO AVAILABLE

Visit MurderSheBaked.comfor more Joanne Fluke recipes

www.kensingtonbooks.com

AHannah SwensenMysteryBy JOANNE FLUKE

CHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDERCHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDERMelt the white chocolate chips in amicrowave safe bowl for 2 minutes onHIGH, or on the stove in a double boiler. (Chips may retain their shape, sostir to see if they’re melted.) Cool for aminute or two and then gradually mixthem into the batter at slow speed. Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla, mixing it in thoroughly.

Pour the batter on top of the chilled crust,set the pan on a cookie sheet to catch anydrips, and bake it at 350 degrees F. for 55minutes. Remove the pan from the oven,but DON’T SHUT OFF THE OVEN.Starting in the center, spoon the sourcream topping over the surface of the

cheesecake, spreading it out to within ahalf-inch of the rim. Return the pan to theoven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Cool the cheesecake in the pan on a wirerack. When the pan is cool enough topick up with your bare hands, place it inthe refrigerator and chill it, uncovered, forat least 8 hours.

To serve, run a knife around the inside rimof the pan, release the springform catch,and lift off the rim. Spread the cherry piefilling over the sour cream topping, drizzling a bit down the sides.

This cheesecake is rich, creamy, and altogether scrumptious, one of Hannah’svery best creations.