Cherry Cheesecake Lush

Cherry Cheesecake Lush

Ingredients:

Crumb Crust

• 9 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp granulated cane sugar

Pudding

• ½ cup granulated cane sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 ½ cups whole milk
• ½ cup cream cheese 
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Fruit

• 3 cups frozen cherries
• 2 Tbsp granulated cane sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp water

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp granulated cane sugar, or to taste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Crumb Crust

1. Grease a 10×7-inch baking dish with butter, a neutral oil, or cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar until fully combined. It will be the texture of wet sand. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan with the bottom of a measuring cup. For a no-bake crust, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before filling. For a baked crust, preheat the oven to 350°F, and bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

Pudding Layer

1. Whisk together cane sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk. Turn up the heat to medium high.
2. Whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a low boil. Turn down heat to medium, and continue cooking and stirring until very thick, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Scrape the pudding mixture onto the crumb crust with a spatula. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours.

Cherry Layer

1. In a small saucepan, heat cherries, cane sugar, and lemon juice over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until soft, pressing some with the back of a spoon. 
2. Whisk together cornstarch and water. Pour into the cherry mixture. Turn up heat to medium high, cooking and stirring until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly before smoothing over the pudding layer.

Whipped Cream Layer

1. Chill a metal bowl and beaters for whipped cream. Once the bowl is chilled, beat together whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spread over lush before serving.

Makes 8 servings