Classic Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping
You can never go wrong with dessert. And you can NEVER go wrong with a Classic Cheesecake.
It’s decadent. It’s rich. It’s the definition of luxury at the end of a meal.
Chile, this cheesecake is a stunt. A full stunt.
Nothing screams like a labor of love quite like a classic cheesecake. I’m not talking about the no-bake cheesecakes (although, nothing wrong with those), but the kind that you bake and set from scratch. In total, from start to finish, this cheesecake takes over 12 hours. A few hours to make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. An hour to bake. An hour to release heat from the oven. An hour to come up to room temperature. Six to eight hours in the fridge while it’s set, but preferably overnight.
Chile this cheesecake requires you to take. your. time.
Cheesecake for me is labor of love that I’m happy to endure every single time. The payoff is always worth it.
In a world of “instant-this”, “get-it-quick-here” and store-bought dessert, I love the work that comes with making a cheesecake. It’s the ultimate test of patience. It’s knowing that you won’t be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor until the process is all the way complete.
A lesson in life that I need a refresher in time and time again and I love that I get that lesson everytime I make this cheesecake.
Ingredients
4 - 8oz blocks of Cream Cheese
1 Cup of Sugar
1 cup of creme fraiche
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of lemon juice (optional but it really brings out the flavor)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
*All ingredients need to be room temperature - important step*
CRUST INGREDIENTS
Graham crackers - around 5 "full sheets" of crackers
Lotus Biscoff Cookies - around 12 cookies (any shortbread
5 Tablespoons of butter (melted)
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
1 pack of strawberries, cleaned and roughly chopped
About 1/4 cup of sugar (give or take more depending on how sweet you want the sauce)
Juice from half of an orange or lemon (About 3-4 tablespoons, adjust as needed)
Special Equipment Needed: A Springform pan. That’s what I am using for this classic cheesecake, however it CAN be baked in other dishes (like a pie dish). You may need to adjust your measurements for size.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust rack to the lower middle position.
CRUST
In a food processor, pulse together graham crackers and cookies together to yield 1 and 1/2 cups of crumbles. Mix together with melted butter and pack tightly at the bottom of pan of choice.
Bake in oven for 5-10 minutes.
CHEESECAKE
Cream together cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
Add creme fraiche, lemon juice and vanilla extract and blend well.
Add eggs into mix 1 at a time until just incorporated. You don’t want to over mix as this may create cracks at the top of your cheesecake.
Pour over crust in your pan of choice.
Create a water bath. This isn’t necessary however I have found the cheesecake to be MUCH better with one, than without. The steam from the water keep the cake moist as this is a custard based cake.
To create a water bath, first wrap your pan in foil to prevent leaking. Fill a large roasting pan that your pan can sit in with about an inch of hot water.
Bake cheesecake for about 55-70 minutes, depending on your oven. I have baked mine for an hour. You’ll know the cheesecake is done when you hit it lightly and the top jiggles as one whole piece.
Turn oven off and crack oven door to slowly begin the cooling process for 1 hour. You do not want to chill your cheesecake too soon as it will cause it not to set well.
Remove cheesecake from oven and sit at room temperature for about 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator to chill completely (about 6 hours, best set overnight).
STRAWBERRY TOPPING
Macerate strawberries by adding sugar and orange juice to strawberries, cover and refrigerate overnight with cheesecake.
Optional: After chilled, blend strawberries and juice created together.
Serve cheesecake with strawberry topping. Enjoy!