To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and fold them into the melted butter until combined. Press the crust into a greased 9” pie dish or tart pan and freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a piece of parchment paper on the frozen crust and fill it with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes with the pie weights, remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.

To bloom the gelatin, combine it with the water and set it aside. Before adding it to the cream cheese mixture, microwave it for 5 seconds so it’s not chunky.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for 2-3 minutes at high speed, until fluffy. Lower the speed and pour in the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed milk. Scrape the edge of the bowl as necessary and mix until it’s well combined.

Add in the lemon juice, vanilla and gelatin and mix until it is smooth. Pour over the cooled crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

If using frozen cherries, heat them on medium-high until they simmer, bring heat down to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients for the cherry topping in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat and bring to a simmer. Bring the heat down to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove the cherry topping from the heat and pour it into another bowl or jar to cool completely. Once it’s cooled, place it on top of the cream cheese filling.

Serve the cheesecake cold or slightly chilled. Cover with plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Recipe By Bernice From Baran Bakery