Easy Cherry Cheesecake Bombs

I saw this posted on a forum I go to, no recipe just a picture that sparked a major drool fest, thanks Ginny! I decided to use a vanilla bean cheesecake base. The thing is with DH so busy studying so much I wasn't about to get my cheesecake. You see, I don't make cheesecake, maybe once in a blue moon, if even. It's not that I can't, it's just that DH can, and he does, very well. SO, I choose to say "I can't". I seriously debated whether or not I should make this filling. Why ruin an 8 year streak right? But I wanted these Cheesecake Bombs, so there you go. The cheesecake filling recipe I used is below. I had some trouble with the chocolate, due to my laziness I didn't want to temper any chocolate. In the end i should have just got out good chocolate and tempered it because I ruined the first batch of store bought chocolate I melted in the microwave because I added cream and it seized on me. The second batch was so dry and tough I stirred in some ghee to smooth it out, that made it perfect, but still. (And any excuse to use ghee right?) I wanted to avoid shortening, because I didn't want to have to go to the store and we don't use shortening.

What you need
Maraschino cherries with stems
Vanilla bean cheesecake filling completely cooled- recipe follows
Graham cracker crumbs
Chocolate to coat
2-3 teaspoons Ghee if you're not using a chocolate that will be tempered

Drain the cherries on a paper towel and dry them as much as you can.

Take a scoop of cheesecake filling and mold it around the cherry.




 
I used gloves, I can't tell you how much I love my disposable gloves- they make everything so easy, peeling chilies, rolling meatballs and matzo balls. Anyway.
Now you can coat them in the graham cracker crumbs ( I decided to only do a few because I didn't want my chocolate being contaminated by crumbs) Freeze these until firm.

Melt the chocolate and stir in the ghee so it's smooth and dip the cheesecake bombs in it. Place on a rack or wax paper to set. I placed some of them on top of graham cracker crumbs to set.

Vanilla bean cheesecake filling

(this made enough for the cherry cheesecake bombs and Buttermilk Cherry Cheesecake ice cream. OK we ate some also.)

3 packages of cream cheese (softened and NOT fat free)

1/2 cup sugar (I used Vanilla Bean Specialty Sugar)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a stand mixer. Or use a hand mixer. 

Add sugar, vanilla, flour and extract. Beat well.

Beat in sour cream. (that's not dirty sour cream I had some vanilla extract get into the measuring cup)

Beat the eggs in one at a time.
Pour into a pie plate and bake at 325 for about 40 minutes. I baked it a little over to make sure it was firm enough for the ice cream and bombs.

See how ugly it is? That's because it doesn't matter if it's pretty, no need for a water bath, slowly cooling it or anything to keep the top from cracking for this project.



Posted originally at GPAC.