Cherry-Cheesecake Celebration Bombe

1. Preheat oven, prep pan, and whisk dry ingredients for cake:

   Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 10-inch round cake pan with oil. Line bottom with parchment; brush parchment. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder to combine.

2. Mix hot water with sugar; add oil yolks, and vanilla, then add dry ingredients:

   In a large heatproof bowl, whisk hot water with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until dissolved. Whisk in oil, then egg yolks and vanilla until smooth. Whisk flour mixture into oil mixture just until combined.

3. Beat egg whites:

   In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-low speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes.

4. Add egg whites to batter in thirds; transfer batter to prepared pan:

   Stir one-third of egg whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites just until no streaks remain. Transfer to prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula.

5. Bake cake and cool:

   Bake until cake is pale golden and top springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely.

6. Make cherry-cookie crumbs:

   Pulse cookies, cherries, and granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter; pulse until texture resembles wet sand (you should have 2 packed cups). Transfer to a bowl, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

7. Line bowl and make cream-cheese filling:

   Line a 10-inch-diameter mixing bowl (10-to-12-cup volume) with plastic wrap, leaving a long overhang on all sides. Beat cream cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in condensed milk. In another bowl, whisk cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Fold into cream-cheese mixture to combine.

8. Spread cream cheese mixture in bowl, topping with some of cookie crumb mixture:

   Transfer to prepared mixing bowl, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup cookie-crumb mixture. Transfer to freezer.

9. Make cherry mixture and soften ice cream:

   Combine cherries, corn syrup, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring a few times. Boil until juices thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes (or cool quickly over an ice-water bath). Temper ice cream in refrigerator until softened but not melting, about 20 minutes.

10. Make cherry ice cream, spread in bowl, and freeze bombe:

    Transfer ice cream and chilled cherry mixture to a food processor. Pulse just until combined and no streaks of ice cream remain. Pour into bowl in freezer, smoothing top. Top with sponge cake. Cover cake with plastic over-hang and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and up to 5 days.

11. Remove bombe from bowl; add cookie-crumb mixture and serve:

    Dip bowl in a hot-water bath 10 seconds. Wipe bowl dry and invert onto a cake plate. Remove bowl and plastic wrap. Using your hands, press remaining cookie-crumb mixture evenly over cream-cheese filling (remove any crumb mixture that falls onto plate with a pastry brush). Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

    Alternatively: Wrap the bombe in plastic and return it to the freezer until ready to serve. It can be held in the freezer for up to 3 days.

Other Cherry Dessert Recipes to Try

• No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
  
• Cherry Gelee
• Cherry-Raspberry Semifreddo
• Cherry Sheet Cake
• Light Cherry Cheesecake