Classic Cheesecake With Strawberry Sauce Food

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick spray and make sure the bottom is securely fastened. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides a bit (see photos above). Bake this for 8 minutes. Set aside. Keep the oven on at 350.
• Make the Cheesecake Filling: Remember that your cold ingredients need to come to room temp before you start or the filling won't turn out. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened cream cheese until nice and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix until just incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream, and mix until just incorporated. (See photos above for what the batter will look like). Pour the batter over the baked and cooled crust, and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Prepare the Water Bath + Bake: Get out a roasting pan and set the rack aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set the springform pan with the cheesecake on a rack positioned in the center of the oven, and place the roasting pan on the rack below. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan. This is the best way to do a water bath - no possibility of leakage into your cheesecake!Bake for 88-91 minutes. When done, the cheesecake will have only a slight wobble in the center, and a toothpick inserted into the edge will come out clean, and will have a bit of thick batter when inserted into the center. Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour before removing it.
• Cheesecake Cooling: Once the hour is up, remove the pan from the oven. It should be cool enough to handle. Remove the foil and set the springform pan on a cooling rack to continue cooling. Let cool completely at room temp, then cover well with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days before removing from the pan and serving.
• Make the Strawberry Sauce: Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, making sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add this and remaining sauce ingredients to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. It will thicken more and more the longer you let it cool. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Serve + Store: Once cheesecake has chilled, remove it from the springform pan and serve with the strawberry sauce! Keep leftovers, well covered, in the fridge for up to a week.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE WITH HOMEMADE FRUIT SAUCES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Break the graham crackers into pieces, then pulse in a food processor with the sugar until finely ground; drizzle in the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edge is set but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar, 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, then refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Top with homemade fruit sauce (see below).
• Rasberry-Rose
• Combine 3 cups raspberries, 1 1/2 cups rose wine, 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange zest, the juice of 1 orange, 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. Whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water; whisk into the sauce until thickened, 3 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 1/2 cups.)
• Honeydew-Avocado
• Puree 2 cups cubed honeydew melon, 1 small peeled and pitted avocado, 1/3 cup sugar and the juice of 1 lime until smooth. If the sauce is still lumpy, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Mango-Coconut
• Combine 2 cups coconut water and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 2 chopped mangoes and cook until just tender, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the juice of 1 lime and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Puree until smooth, then strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool; cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Maple-Blueberry
• Combine 3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup sugar, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool; cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Strawberry-Rhubarb
• Toss 2 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb, 1 pound quartered strawberries and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan; let sit until juicy, 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 1/2 cups.)
• Apricot-Ginger
• Combine 1 cup dried apricots, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 thin slices ginger, 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup cranberry juice and the juice of 2 lemons in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the apricots are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool; discard the ginger. Puree until smooth, then cover and refrigerate. Stir in up to 1/2 cup water if the sauce seems thick. (Makes 2 cups.)

JOE'S "SAY CHEESE" CHEESECAKE WITH FRESH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with a round of parchment paper; and spray the paper with cooking spray. Place the pan on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and bring the foil up around the sides to enclose the seam between the bottom and the sides of the pan (this will prevent water from leaking in).
• Stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are coated. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Set aside.
• For the filling: In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese together with the sour cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sugar, cornstarch and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Set the foil-wrapped pan inside a larger pan, and carefully pour 1/2 inch of warm water into the larger pan to create a water bath. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the oven door and let the cheesecake stand in the opened oven for 1 hour. Refrigerate the cheesecake for 2 hours or overnight before removing it from the pan.
• For the sauce: Process the strawberries, sugar and lime zest in a food processor or blender until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. (The sauce is best served cold from the refrigerator.)

CLASSIC STRAWBERRY-TOPPED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan).
• Mix crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 350°F if using a silver pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick pan).
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest and juice with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 50 minutes or until center is almost set. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.
• Drain strawberries, reserving liquid. Add enough water to reserved liquid to measure 1/2 cup. Mix cornstarch and reserved liquid in medium saucepan until well blended. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Cool. Stir in strawberries; spoon over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

SIMPLY DELICIOUS NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and mix well. Press onto bottom of springform pan and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, butter the sides of the pan.
• Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups sugar, zests, and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the flour, then the eggs and yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream, vanilla bean seeds, and bourbon and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Wrap the pan in foil and place in a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to come half way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate cake overnight before serving. Cut into wedges and top with strawberry sauce.
• Combine berries, sugar, water and zest and cook until berries are soft and the liquid is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kirsch or brandy and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Crust: stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
• Mix in butter thoroughly and press into a 9" springform pan.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Cool Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees Filling: beat cream cheese in large mixing bowl.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy.
• Add lemon peel and vanilla Beat in eggs one at a time. Pour into shell.
• Bake 1 hour or until center is firm.
• Cool to room temperature and then spread with the strawberry glaze. Chill 3 hours.
• Glaze: blend sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan.
• Stir in water and strawberries.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils.
• Boil and stir for 1 minute. Cool thoroughly before spreading over cheesecake.