Total Time: 6 hrs Active Time: 1 hr
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp Vanilla Powder
4 Tbsp butter, melted
For the filling:
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
⅔ cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp Vanilla Puree
For the topping:
1 cup whipping cream
3 strawberries
½ Tsp Strawberry Extract
1 Tsp vanilla puree
1 pint each blueberries and strawberries (sliced or whole), reserved for decoration
¼ cup strawberry jelly, reserved for glaze
Instructions:
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 325. Grease an 8” or 9” springform pan with cooking spray or butter.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla powder in a bowl.
Add melted butter to the mixture and combine well with a spoon or with hands.
Press the crust into the greased pan, going ¼ – ½ the way up the sides of the pan.
Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely on wire rack.
For the filling:
Preheat oven to 325.
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
Add eggs one at a time, beating the mixture lightly until the eggs are just incorporated each time. Do not overbeat.
Add the vanilla puree and the sour cream to the mixture. Beat lightly once more, finishing off the mixing with a rubber spatula. The mixture should be smooth, creamy, and lump free.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 1 hr.
When the cake is finished baking, do not remove from the oven, but turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool inside the cooling oven for 1 hr.
Remove cheesecake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Transfer to the refrigerator and allow the cheesecake to set for at least 2 hrs.
For the whipped cream topping:
Dice and then mash 3 strawberries and combine with strawberry extract in a small bowl.
Combine whipping cream and vanilla puree into a medium bowl and whip the cream until medium – stiff peaks form.
Gently stir the mashed berries into the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.
Assembly:
Once completely cool, run a sharp knife along the sides of the pan and then carefully release the cheesecake from the springform pan.
With a rubber spatula, gently spread the whipping cream on the top of the cheesecake. Arrange berries on the top of the cake.
Microwave strawberry jelly for 30 secs, or until melted. With a pastry brush, gently glaze the berries with jelly. Use a light hand with the jelly; it may not be necessary to use the entire ¼ cup.
Return cheesecake to refrigerator until 30 minutes prior to serving.
