Time: 90 minutes

You will be guaranteed to smile while enjoying this lovely dessert with family and friends! Enjoy.

Music Selection: Kat McPhee, Celine Dion, Josh Groban – Smile

Ingredients:

Crust:

½ cup butter

1 egg yolk

2 ½ Tbsp heavy cream

2 Cups flour

2 Tbsp cocoa

3 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking soda

Filling:

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 cup cream cheese

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

3 eggs plus leftover egg white

1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch

1 can cherry pie filling (540 mL)

1 Tbsp minute tapioca (alternate, use corn starch)

Chocolate Glaze

¼ cup butter

¾ cup icing sugar

1 Tbsp cocoa

3 Tbsp water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 deg.

Butter a 9 inch springform pan and line bottom with cut parchment paper to same size as bottom.

In large bowl, cream together the butter, egg yolk and milk. Mix in the dry ingredients. Use your hands to blend. Divide dough in two (I like one a little larger than the other). Wrap each in saran wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cornstarch. With an electric mixer, mix until well blended. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the cherry filling with the tapioca and set aside.

Remove one dough (the larger one) from freezer and with a grater, grate the dough into the bottom of the pan. Gently press it down so it is even.

Pour the cherry filling evenly over the dough.

Then evenly pour the cheese filling over.

Remove the final dough from freezer and grate it onto a plate. Evenly cover the cheese layer with the dough.

Put another tray under the cake pan and bake in oven for at least 50 – 60 minutes – the filling should be slightly jiggly. Let cool to room temperature.

In meantime, in microwave or small sauce pan, melt the butter and water. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa until well blended. Let cool to room temperature.

When the cake and glaze are at room temperature, use a knife to cut around the edge  of the cake to loosen it. Remove the sides of the pan. With a spoon, drizzle the glaze on the cake so it runs down the sides.

Cool in fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy!