1

Place a large, deep-rimmed pan (big enough to create a water bath) in oven and preheat to 325°F.

2

Coat bottom and sides of a 9- X 4-inch springform pan with softened butter; dust bottom and sides of pan with zwieback crumbs (make sure butter and crumbs are applied all the way up the sides of pan). Tear off a single large, long piece of aluminum foil and wrap around bottom and just past top of sides of pan so that no water – from the water bath – can penetrate when cake bakes (you’re making a water-tight skin so you only want to use 1 piece of wide, long foil); set springform pan aside.

3

Place ricotta in a fine sieve over a medium bowl. Allow cheese to drain thoroughly to rid of excess moisture; discard liquid. Whip ricotta in a food processor until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute; do not over beat.

4

Add egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, powdered sugar, flour and salt to ricotta. Pulse mixture just a few times until ingredients are incorporated; blend in yogurt.

5

Whip all egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form; fold egg whites into cheese cake batter.

6

Boil a pot of water.

7

Pour cheese cake batter into prepared springform pan, filling pan almost to the top; place springform pan into larger pan (heating in oven). Then pour enough boiling water into larger pan to come half-way up springform pan, careful not to get any water into cake. Bake cake in water bath for 1 hour. After baking for 1 hour, turn off heat but leave cheesecake in oven, in water bath, with oven door closed, for another hour.

8

Remove entire water bath from oven, careful not to spill water, and grip sides of springform pan with oven mitts to remove it from water bath to a wire rack (leave foil on) and cool completely; refrigerate cake in springform pan for 12 to 24 hours before serving.

9

Remove cake from refrigerator. Run a sharp knife around inside of springform pan to loosen cake from sides.

10

To make topping, cut cherries into quarters while still frozen; set aside.

11

Place preserves in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until liquefied; remove from heat and add frozen cherries. When cherry topping cools, pour over top of cheesecake. Slice into 12 pieces and serve.