Sarah Kieffer, famously known for her pan-banging cookies, has recently released her highly anticipated second cookbook, 100 Cookies. This Minnesota native has spread her love for baked goods worldwide with her Vanilla Bean Blog, where you’ll find recipes, inspiring photographs, special moments shared in the kitchen and the occasional poetic reflection. Here, Kieffer shares one of her favorite recipes from 100 Cookies — perfect for the festive season ahead.
Photography provided by Sarah Kieffer
Red Wine Cherry Cheesecake Swirl Bars
Makes 12 large or 24 small bars
A good cheesecake often has a bright red cherry topping to go along with it. I decided on a whim to swirl the cherries inside the cheesecake instead for a tasty, less messy treat along with some red wine. One bite, and you’ll hear the fairy piper call: Merry, merry | Take a cherry | Mine are sweeter | For the eater | When the dews fall | And you’ll be fairies all (“Cherry-Time” by Robert Graves).
Crust
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Cherry Swirl
8 oz. pitted cherries
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup red wine, such as merlot
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 to 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling
24 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1. For the crust: Adjust a rack to the middle of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with a parchment sling.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add butter and mix with a spatula until evenly incorporated. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan and bake 10 minutes.
3. Remove pan from oven and let cool. After cooled, wrap outside of pan in 2 layers of foil with shiny side facing out (this helps keep cheesecake sides from browning).
4. For the cherry swirl: Purée cherries in a blender or food processor until smooth. In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, wine, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and food coloring. Cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring nearly constantly until mixture has thickened and coats back of a wooden spoon. Pour mixture into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. For the cream cheese filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat cream cheese on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes, until light and completely smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl often, ensuring all cream cheese has incorporated and is silky smooth. Add sugar and beat on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes until completely incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla and salt, and beat on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes. Add sour cream and mix on low speed until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Using a spatula, give filling a couple of turns to ensure fully mixed.
6. Pour two-thirds of cream cheese filling into prepared crust. Dollop cherry mixture on top, then dollop remaining cream cheese filling next to cherry. Use tip of a butter knife to swirl cherry filling into cream cheese batter, taking care not to cut into crust. Bang bottom of pan on counter a few times to help get rid of any air bubbles.
7. Bake cheesecake 30 to 35 minutes, until center registers 150°F. Outside 2 to 3 inches should be puffed and fairly firm and set, but center will still be jiggly at this point. Turn off heat, open oven door a crack, and let cheesecake rest and cool in warm oven 1 hour.
8. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool. Once cheesecake is completely cool, place a piece of parchment over top of pan to reduce condensation and transfer to refrigerator. Let chill at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Store bars in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 days.
Reprinted from 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer with permission by Chronicle Books, 2020
