Strawberry Topped Cheesecake

When I spy luscious, ripe strawberries in the market, a beautiful berry dessert like this incredible Strawberry Topped Cheesecake is destined to be on the menu.

A buttery, graham cracker crust encases a creamy vanilla cheesecake, then is crowned with fragrant strawberries for an impressive dessert.

Strawberry Topped Cheesecake

I first tasted this strawberry topped cheesecake for a teacher’s luncheon when my youngest was in high school. I was chairing the event and more than one teacher asked for the recipe. You know I was happy to ask for it!

Since that time, I’ve made it for a baby shower and just recently for a small dinner party at our home. There were literally swoons, and the ultimate compliment when one fellow asked if he could take a slice home (I did offer earlier!). I do recall a best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted comment, too….

Tips for Making a Perfect Cheesecake

This cheesecake didn’t become the show stopping sensation without a few tricks. I’m sharing those tips for making the perfect cheesecake with you today.

• PRO-Tip: One of the key points for a luscious, creamy cheesecake filling is to have all ingredients, especially the eggs and cream cheese, at room temperature.
• This means taking these ingredients out of the refrigerator an hour before you begin mixing. I like to set my eggs in a bowl of warm water to hurry the process along.

• PRO-Tip: When mixing the cheesecake batter, use the paddle attachment, not the whisk. This prevents excess air from making a lighter versus dense filling.
• When adding the eggs, add one at a time mixing until just incorporated.

• Often a cheesecake is baked in a water bath  which keeps the baking temperature stable and is thought to prevent cracking. Since this cheesecake is topped with a sour cream mixture, avoiding cracks is not as crucial.
• When using a water bath or bain marie, wrap your pan in a double layer of foil to help prevent leakage of water into the springform pan.

• You cannot use the same toothpick test to check for doneness as you do with a layer cake. Instead look for the top to be mostly set. It’s OK for a little jiggle in the very center as there will be a bit of residual cooking after it comes out of the oven.
• I have a new oven and what used to take 55 minutes in my old oven took an extra 20 minutes in my new (and recently calibrated) oven.

• PRO-Tip: Besides the room temperature ingredients, beating with a paddle attachment, the 3rd key tip is to bring the cheesecake out of the refrigerator at least an hour before serving!
• Cheesecake absolutely tastes better when it’s not cold. But remember, the FDA recommends that perishable foods should not remain at room temperature longer than 2 hours, so tuck leftovers back in the refrigerator after serving.

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Strawberry Topped Cheesecake

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★★★★★

5 from 13 reviews

A creamy, decadent cheesecake topped with glazed strawberries

• Author: Liz Berg
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 65 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Mixing, Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Crust:

• 20 whole graham crackers (10 ounces, broken into pieces)
• 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks cold butter, diced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Filling:

• 4 8- ounce packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 5 eggs (at room temperature)

Topping:

• 2 cups sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Fresh strawberries (hulled (I used 32 ounces))
• Jar of red currant jelly (or raspberry jelly)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Add graham crackers, butter and brown sugar to food processor and pulse till crumbs start to stick together. Press crumbs on bottom and most of the way up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan with 3 inch sides. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Keep oven on while preparing filling.
2. With paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt together till very smooth, scraping down edges of bowl as needed. Add flour and mix till combined. Add eggs, one at a time, just till incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Pour batter into crust and bake about 55 minutes. Center should be just set and top will be puffed and brown in spots. Cool on rack for 10 minutes while preparing topping. Keep oven on.
4. Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread over top of cake, stopping just short of the edge. Bake for 5 minutes. Run knife around perimeter of cheesecake. Allow to cool on rack, then cover and chill overnight.
5. Before serving, release sides of springform pan. Arrange whole berries, pointed sides up, over top of cheesecake. Gently melt jelly in microwave, then allow to cool to lukewarm. Brush over top of berries to glaze. Berries may be glazed up to 6 hours before serving. May serve with extra glaze if desired.

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Photo circa 2012