I haven't met anyone who doesn't love cheesecake! So for one of my favorite holidays, Valentine's Day, I decided to create this delicious glazed strawberry cheesecake. Because strawberries and Valentine's Day just go together. :)
This cheesecake is a GORGEOUS show-stopper. And not only is it beautiful but is tastes delicious! It has an excellent texture and flavor while also producing a really tall cheesecake when baked in a 9-inch springform pan. The strawberry glaze is perfect and any leftovers could definitely be enjoyed as "preserves" on toast the next morning. This cheesecake is a homerun and would be a welcomed guest at any event, any time of year! It would be perfect for not only Valentine's Day, but also as a fresh treat for Easter or Memorial Day, a cool smooth dessert for Independence Day, an end of summer throwback at Labor Day, or stunningly festive at Christmas. I plan to enjoy it all year round. :)
Enjoy!
New York Style Cheesecake
For the crust:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter for greasing the pan
8 whole graham crackers (4 oz), broken into rough pieces and processed in a food processor to fine even crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
For the filling:
5 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (10.5 oz) sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp juice from 1 lemon
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
Directions:
-For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.
-Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 Tbsp of the melted butter.
-Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl; add 5 Tbsp of the melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened.
-Empty the crumbs into the springform pan and press evenly into the pan bottom, using a tsp to press the crumbs neatly into the corner of the pan.
-Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 mins.
-Cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
-For the cheesecake filling: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees.
-Begin boiling water in a medium saucepan for the water bath. The water needs to be enough to come up halfway on the side of your springform pan.
-In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 min.
-Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 min, scraping the bowl between additions.
-Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining melted butter and line the sides of the pan with parchment cut to fit, and brush again with butter.
-In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 min.
-Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 min.
-Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 min, scraping the bowl between additions.
-Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining melted butter and line the sides of the pan with parchment cut to fit, and brush again with butter.
-Wrap the bottom of the outside of your springform pan, and halfway up the sides, with aluminum foil that has been doubled. This will keep the water from your water bath from entering the bottom of your springform.
-Set the springform pan in a rimmed roasting pan.
-Pour the filling into the cooled crust
- Pour boiling water halfway up the side of the springform pan (wrapped in foil).
- Place roasting pan in oven and bake 10 mins; without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until the cheesecake reads about 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours.
-Turn off oven and leave ajar using a wooden spoon to hold open. Allow warm air from oven to dissipate slowly to avoid cracks in your cheesecake. This will take several minutes.
-Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
-Run a paring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides.
-Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (The cheesecake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)
-To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan.
-Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate.
-Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
-Run a paring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides.
-Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (The cheesecake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)
-To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan.
-Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate.
Glazed Strawberries
1 1/2 (16 oz) packages of fresh strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cold water
Directions:
Arrange 1 box of strawberries, pointed ends up, on top of cheesecake. Slice remaining berries and place into a medium saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium heat. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tsp of water. Stir cornstarch into berry mixture and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Mixture will be thickened. Strain mixture, using a fine mesh strainer, over a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids, and allow glaze to throughly cool. Brush glaze on strawberries and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Source: Cheesecake adapted from Baking Illustrated, Glaze from Myrecipes.com
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