A Cheesecake to kill for.

It's sometimes tough to get through those rainy summer days without allowing the melancholy take you over a little. So, you can guess what it is that I do to avoid those rainy day blues. In fact, it is pretty hard to feel even mildly depressed when you are eating a sinfully delicious cheesecake with a passito reduction glaze on the plate for a little bit of fun.

For specialized equipment you will need 2 same size springform cake pans and a brule torch.

Now, run down to the closest farmers market and pick up:

16 oz cream cheese

1 cup raw sugar

3 eggs 1 tbsp (15 mL)

1 ounce passito desert wine

1 vanilla bean (halved and scrapped)

Pinch salt

750 mL (3 cups) sour cream

In large bowl, beat the cream cheese until softened. Gradually beat in sugar and beat for 3 minutes or until smooth and light, scraping down bowl twice. beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl often. Blend in Passito, vanilla and salt, then sour cream

Place rounded parchment sheets at the bottom of each springform pan, pour batter, 1/2 in each pan. Set both spring form pans in a larger hotel pan; pour enough hot water into larger pan to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the side of each springform pan.

Bake in centre of 325°F (160°C) oven for 1-1/4 hours or until shine disappears and edge is set yet centre still jiggles slightly. Turn off oven. Quickly run knife around edge of cake. Let cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from water and transfer to rack; remove foil and let cool completely.

Once completely chilled, spread a full layer of sugar over each cake and use brule torch to caramelize. Remove parchment paper from one of the cakes and place one layer on top of the other.

To make the reduction glaze, pour 2 cups of Passito desert wine into a saucepan and reduce it by 2/3.

Serve cake on a chilled plate and decorate with the reduction. Goodbye rainy day blues... hello gourmet treat.