Spring Cherry & Orange Double Crust Cheesecake

At the moment, my tangerine tree is bursting with fruit; just one sign around my cottage that spring is on the way! One afternoon, I craved something light and sweet; I usually lean toward berries and cream. But I do love something crunchy alongside it, so this light double-crust cheesecake was just right. After all, the crust is the best part, in my opinion, of any cheesecake! Better yet, this is a no-bake version that can quite literally be whipped up in less than half an hour. Although it does need some time to set, it’s a lovely treat to welcome the spring season if you’re ever so patient! Citrus and cherries are in season and make a delectable pairing too. You can use any berries you prefer, given your season. I may make this again with early summer strawberries and lemon, which would be equally delicious. It’s quite forgiving compared to its baked version, which may crack or sink. I think this just may very well be my new favorite way to make a cheesecake! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…

Spring Cherry & Orange Double Crust Cheesecake

For the crust:

3 1/2 - 4 cups graham cracker crumbs (use a food processor)

1/2 teaspoon ground anise

1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seeds

pinch of sea salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

For the filling:

3 cups pitted bing or Rainer cherries, roughly chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature

8 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

zest of 2 tangerines or 1 large orange (reserve juice)

1 tablespoon tangerine/orange juice

1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

sea salt

Line either a 9” or 10” springform pan with parchment paper. No need to line the sides. Simply cut out a circle to fit the base.

To prepare the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, anise, fennel, pinch of salt, melted butter, and brown sugar in a bowl. Gently work it together with a rubber spatula until it feels like packable beach sand. Make sure all of the crumbs are evenly coated, and it’s mixed well. Set aside for now.

Pit and chop the cherries and add them into a small bowl with 1/4 cup brown sugar, two tablespoons of tangerine/orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Set them aside to macerate while finishing up the filling.

To make the filling, use a stand or hand mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk the heavy cream on high speed until soft, firm peaks form. Be careful not to over-whisk! Scrape the whipped cream out of the bowl and set aside.

Clean the bowl, add the cream cheese, mascarpone, and sour cream, and whisk on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add the powdered sugar, orange zest, a tablespoon of juice, a teaspoon of almond extract, a pinch of salt, and continue to whisk until it is a creamy and smooth consistency.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until it is evenly distributed throughout. Set in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Begin to assemble the cheesecake by adding roughly half of the crumbs to the tin base. Press them into every corner of the base, and use the bottom of a glass jar if necessary. It should be even and smooth.

Pull out the filling and spread roughly half of the cream cheese filling over the base. Be careful not to touch the crumb with your spatula as it may lift up. Work slowly and spread the cream cheese over the entire base in an even layer.

Spoon the macerated cherries and their juices evenly over the first cream cheese layer.

Spread the remaining cream cheese filling over the cherries.

To finish the crust (this cake has no crust on the sides) spread the remainder of the crumbs on top of the cream cheese. Evenly press it into every corner, and gently press down with your hands.

Set the cake in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours, which allows it to firm up. You can also put it in the freezer for 1 hour if you are in a rush. Allowing it time to chill longer makes it easier to cut without crumbling.

Once ready to serve, carefully remove the springform tin. If it’s sticking, use a knife around the rim to clear the crust away. Next, pull out the parchment paper round and slide the cake onto a pretty plate to serve immediately. I prefer to serve it with additional sugary macerated cherries, so it has a beautiful red sweet juice on top of each slice.

You can also freeze this cake for up to a month too! Just ensure that you wrap it air-tight in plastic wrap as you would any cake…

Enjoy!