Strawberry Cheesecake With Graham Cracker Crust
Photo Credit
Luma creative/shutterstock
Yield
Makes 12 or more servings.
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Try this for the creamy-smooth consistency of many classic cheesecakes. The strawberries add a splash of color. If you prefer, simply slice them or another fruit, such as peaches, or use a different berry, and spoon over individual servings.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add the butter, combine with a fork, then use fingers to rub the ingredients together to make a uniform crumb. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of water, then blend again briefly until the mixture is somewhat clumpy. Add another teaspoon of water, if necessary.
- Press crust evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and about 1/2 inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool. When the pan has cooled, lightly butter the sides.
Ingredients
3 packages (8 ounces each) regular (not low-fat or whipped) cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup regular (not low-fat) sour cream
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Set oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
- Using an electric mixer (preferably a large stand model), blend the cream cheese on medium until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times. Add the sugar, about a third at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Be careful not to overbeat; you don’t want to beat air into the cake. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until blended. Add the eggs, one half-portion at a time, to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the cream, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon extract and beat until evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour the batter over the crust. Place the pan in the center of a 16-inch-long piece of aluminum foil. Fold the foil snugly up and around the sides of the pan. Bake on the center oven rack for 55 to 65 minutes. Do not open the oven door at any point during the baking! When done, the cake will be higher at the edges than in the center, and the top (except the center) will have a dull (not shiny) finish. Turn off the heat, crack open the oven door, and let the cake cool for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Cover with foil and refrigerate the cake overnight.
Ingredients
1/2 cup strawberry preserves
1 pint ripe, fresh strawberries, rinsed, halved and patted dry
Instructions
- Put the strawberry preserves into a bowl and stir briskly to smooth. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the preserves onto the cake, smoothing to cover. On top, arrange sliced berries, cut side down; brush the remaining preserves over the berries to make them glisten.
- Remove cheesecake from the pan, slice, and serve.
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