Description
Achieve that perfect, light-as-air cheesecake texture you’ve been dreaming of! This recipe walks you through a series of simple, straightforward steps to create a creamy cheesecake masterpiece, complete with a luscious strawberry sauce topping. The result is so good, you’ll agree it’s the best you’ve ever had.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups (200 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 2 sleeves
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
- 32 ounces (904 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups (226 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
For the sauce
- 16 ounces (400 g) whole strawberries, diced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (334 g) finely chopped strawberries
Instructions
Make the crust
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Move the oven rack to the lower third position and heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outer bottom of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with aluminum foil.
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Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 2-inches up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
Make the filling
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Reduce the oven temperature to 300ºF.
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In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
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Add the sugar and sour cream, beat until well combined. Add the vanilla and salt, beat on low speed until smooth.
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Using a silicone spatula, gently stir in the eggs just until combined. Pour the batter over the prepared crust.
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Fill a roasting pan with a few inches of boiling water and place the cheesecake in the center.
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Bake for 1 hour, OR until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off, leave the cheesecake in the water bath in the oven for another hour.
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Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place it on a wire rack. Run a small knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan and leave it to cool at room temperature for about 1 ½ hours. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the pan And transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
Make the sauce
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Add the diced strawberries and cornstarch to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the sugar.
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Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 15 minutes.
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Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and chopped strawberries. Set aside to cool for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Spread the topping evenly over the cheesecake or over individual slices just before serving.