Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • Shortbread crust
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • Filling
  • 3 8- ounce packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 recipe Chef Gail’s Strawberry Topping, chilled

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Spray an 8-inch diameter spring form pan with 3-inch-high sides with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Wrap the outside of the pan in 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.
  • In a food processor, pulse flour and sugar until well blended. Add the butter and pulse until small clumps form.
  • Pour mixture into the bottom of spring form pan and press evenly across the bottom only.
  • Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until crust is nice and brown.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until somewhat smooth and lighter in color.
  • Beat in flour and stop the machine to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Beat in eggs and yolks slowly, until well incorporated, stopping the machine periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl and clean off the paddle so that any clumps can get re-incorporated into the batter.
  • Add the heavy cream and vanilla, and mix on low to medium speed until mixture is quite smooth.
  • Pour batter over the baked crust and place the pan into a large roasting pan or larger cake pan with high sides.
  • Pull out the oven rack and place pan onto it. Pour boiling hot water into the larger pan, so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan. slide the cheesecake back into the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Bake only until the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the oven and take the springform pan out of the water bath. Allow cheesecake to cool and remove the foil. Place cheese cake still in the pan onto a sheet pan and refrigerate overnight until well chilled.
  • Remove from the springform pan and when ready to serve, top with strawberry topping.

Notes

Makes 1 8-inch cheesecake