GINGER CHEESECAKE WITH SOUR CHERRY COMPOTE

Ginger Cheesecake with Sour Cherry Compote image

Yield Serves 10 to 12

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Crust
3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 12 ounces)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled butter, cut into small pieces
Filling
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
4 large eggs, room temperature
Topping
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Sour Cherry Compote

Steps:

For Crust:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of pan with foil. Blend cookie crumbs and butter in processor until moist clumps form. Press crumbs on bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.
For Filling:
Blend cream cheese in processor until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and salt; process until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of work bowl. Blend in ginger. Add eggs; process just until blended. Pour filling into crust.
Bake cake 15 minutes. Cover top of pan loosely with foil. Continue to bake cake until sides begin to puff and center is softly set, about 50 minutes longer. Transfer to rack; uncover and let stand 5 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, Prepare The Topping:
Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Spoon over cake. Return to oven; bake until topping sets, about 10 minutes.
Transfer cake to rack. Cut around pan sides. Let cool. Cover; chill overnight. Release pan sides. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with Sour Cherry Compote.