Layered Raspberry Cheesecake Food

TRIPLE-LAYERED BERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Butter and line the base and sides of a 20cm springform tin. Blitz the digestives in a food processor until you get fine crumbs, or bash in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until it looks like damp sand. Tip into the prepared tin, and smooth the mixture with the back of a spoon to make an even base, then chill.
• Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water. Put the raspberries in a food processor or in a jug using a stick blender, and blitz to a smooth purée. Sieve out the seeds. Warm the raspberry sauce in a small pan with 1 tbsp sugar until just starting to steam, then pour over 1 drained gelatine leaf in a bowl and stir to dissolve.
• Blitz 3 (about 65g) of the strawberries in a food processor, and warm through with 1 tbsp sugar in the same way. Tip into a bowl and stir in the other drained gelatine leaf.
• Whisk the soft cheese, cream and caster sugar until it just starts to thicken. Divide between three bowls (about 260g per bowl). Fold the strawberry purée into one with a few drops of food colouring to make it light pink, the raspberry mix with the gelatine into another with more food colouring so it's dark pink, and the vanilla bean paste into the third.
• Spoon the raspberry filling over the biscuit base, smoothing the surface so it's flat. Next, add the strawberry filling, gently smoothing over without disturbing the bottom layer, then repeat with the vanilla mixture, using a clean spoon to level the top. A spatula or knife might help with this to keep from dragging the below layers. Chill for 4 hrs or overnight.
• Run a knife around the sides of the cake tin between the cheesecake and the parchment, and loosen the base. Transfer to a cake stand, and smooth the sides, using a palette knife, to neaten the layers. Mix the chocolate with a few drops of lemon extract, if using. Pile the remaining strawberries, some sliced, some whole, on top, and drizzle over the chocolate to finish.

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
• To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
• To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Note: Measure your springform pan. The bottom of mine measures 9 inches, but it says 9 1/2. I put the springform pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.

LAYERED RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Combine crust ingredients. Press onto bottom of 9x13 pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes to set it up. Cool completely (very important) on wire rack.
• Stir raspberry jello into boiling water; add sugar and stir until dissolved. Fold in raspberries and lemon juice. Chill mixture until soft set, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on it.
• Once soft set, pour over completely cooled crust and spread evenly. Chill in fridge.
• Meanwhile, beat together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of whipping cream. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar; set aside.
• Beat remaining cold whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipping cream and vanilla into cream cheese mixture.
• Carefully layer cream cheese mixture on top of raspberry layer. Cover with foil and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Store in refrigerator.

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes., Set aside 3 tablespoons jam; spread remaining jam over crust., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Spread evenly over jam. Bake until almost set, 20-25 minutes., In another bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over cheesecake. Warm remaining jam and swirl over top. Bake just until set, 5-7 minutes. , Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.

RASPBERRY-SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap exterior of a 9-inch springform pan (including base) in a double layer of foil; set aside.
• Stir together cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Process raspberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar, and set aside.
• Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until just combined (do not overmix). Pour cream cheese filling over crust.
• Drop raspberry sauce by the teaspoon on top. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling.
• Set cake pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes.
• Transfer cake pan to rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around edge of cake.

DOUBLE-DECKER RASPBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place cookies in processor and blend until coarse crumbs form. Add butter and process until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust 8 minutes; cool on rack.
• For filling:
• Press raspberries and juices through fine strainer into small bowl. Measure 1/2 cup puree for filling (reserve remaining puree for another use). Stir white chocolate in small metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until just melted and smooth; set aside.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in flour, then eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in whipping cream and vanilla. Transfer 2 1/4 cups batter to medium bowl; stir in melted white chocolate. Stir reserved 1/2 cup raspberry puree and almond extract into remaining batter in large bowl.
• Pour raspberry batter into prepared crust; place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake until raspberry filling is softly set in center and beginning to puff at edges, about 50 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven; let raspberry layer cool 5 minutes to firm slightly.
• Starting at edge of pan, spoon white chocolate batter in concentric circles onto raspberry layer. Smooth top. Bake until white chocolate filling is set in center, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate cake uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Cut around pan sides with small knife to loosen cheesecake; release sides. Garnish cheesecake with white chocolate curls, if desired.