About
Your taste buds will be singing like angels for this Heavenly Strawberry Cheesecake! This slice of delight is creamy, rich, and basically melts in your mouth. It's got a crunchy, buttery crust and a blissfully sweet strawberry sauce that will make you sing. Every bite of Heavenly Strawberry Cheesecake really feels like a massive blessing! Get ready to feel the purest joy ever!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more, to taste, softened, for greasing the pan
- 1 (7-ounce) package Marie-style cookies, such as Goya® Maria cookies, roughly broken, can substitute 28 graham cracker squares
- For the cheesecake filling:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups caster or extra-fine sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- For the strawberry topping:
- 1 pound strawberries, 1/2 pound diced and 1/2 pound halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons corn flour or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water, plus more, to taste
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Step 2 -Turn the base of an 8-inch springform pan upside down and use the extra softened butter to lightly coat it.
Step 3 -Place a square piece of parchment paper on top of the buttered base, then clip it into the top of the springform pan. It's okay for excess paper to stick out.
Step 4 -Use more of the extra softened butter to line the sides of the springform pan.
Step 5 -In a food processor, add the cookie pieces and process until they form fine crumbs.
Step 6 -Add the remaining 8 tablespoons of the melted butter to the cookie crumbs and process until it is combined and resembles wet sand.
Step 7 -Pour the crust mixture into the prepared springform pan and use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and the walls.
Step 8 -Use something with a flat base and vertical edges, such as a measuring cup, to press the crust mixture to flatten the base and to push the crust up almost to the top of the sides.
Step 9 -In a bowl, add the cream cheese and use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat until it is just smooth, about 15-20 seconds.
Step 10 -Add the all-purpose flour to the whipped cream cheese and beat until just incorporated, about 5 seconds.
Step 11 -Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the sour cream, the caster sugar, and the lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-high speed until just combined.
Step 12 -Add the eggs, one at a time, to the filling mixture and beat after each addition, until just combined.
Step 13 -Beat the filling mixture once more until the eggs are fully incorporated.
Step 14 -Pour the filling over the prepared crust.
Step 15 -Bake the cheesecake until the top is very light brown and the filling slightly jiggles when the pan is shaken, about 55 minutes.
Step 16 -Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door open 8-inches wide.
Step 17 -Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Step 18 -Once the cheesecake has chilled, in a saucepan over medium heat, add 1/2 pound of the diced strawberries, the lemon juice, the white sugar, and the remaining vanilla and stir to combine.
Step 19 -Bring the strawberry mixture to a simmer and cook, until the fruit breaks down, about 10 minutes.
Step 20 -In a small bowl, whisk the corn flour and 2 tablespoons of the water together, then stir it into the strawberry mixture.
Step 21 -Add the remaining 1/2 pound of the halved strawberries to the topping mixture and cook for 1 minute.
Step 22 -Transfer the strawberry topping from the heat and let it rest until it has cooled and thickened.
Step 23 -Stir the cooled strawberry topping to ensure it has reached a jam consistency. If it is too thick, add a very small amount of the extra water and stir to combine. Be careful not to add too much.
Step 24 -Spoon the strawberry topping onto the cheesecake so it's covered with a single layer of the halved strawberries. Flip the berry halves over so that they are face down. Reserve any of the remaining strawberry topping.
Step 25 -Chill the strawberry cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Step 26 -Slice the strawberry cheesecake and serve it drizzled with the remaining strawberry topping.
