Strawberry Cheesecake Decadence
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate graham crackers*
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
- 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, soft at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup strawberry or raspberry jam
- 1 (16 oz) container fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 cup Chocolate Ganache or Sauce
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make crust: Crush graham crackers with a rolling pin to obtain 1 1/2 cups. Add melted butter and combine well. Press onto bottom of a 9-inch diameter spring form pan and place in oven for 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Place springform pan on 3 layers of aluminum foil and wrap outside of pan tightly with foil. Ensure that no water could penetrate thru the foil. Place in a roasting pan and set aside.
- Blend cream cheese and sugar on lowest speed, alternatively mix by hand using a hand held spatula until no lumps remain. Scrape bowl well. Add one egg or yolk at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated and mixture shows no lumps. Scrape bowl and beater between additions.
- Add sour cream and vanilla.
- Pour 1/3 of cheesecake batter into pan, swirl half of jam onto cheesecake mixture ensuring to keep jam at least 1/2-inch from sides.
- Cover with 1/3 of cheesecake batter and repeat with remaining jam. Finish with remaining cheesecake batter.
- Pour water into roasting pan about 1-inch high. Place cheesecake into roasting pan and place in oven.
- Bake until center of cake no longer trembles when tapping sides of the pan, about 80-90 minutes.
- Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and place in refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to serve, run a sharp knife around the edge and bottom of cheesecake and decorate with strawberries and chocolate sauce.
