Cherry Cheesecake

Instructions

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.