STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Strawberry Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust image

Yield Serves 10

Number Of Ingredients 10

For crust
3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For filling
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, halved

Steps:

Make crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Blend cookie crumbs, sugar and butter in processor until well mixed. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and halfway up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack.
Make filling:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs and beat just until blended.
Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Bake until sides of cheesecake are slightly puffed and begin to crack, and center moves slightly when pan is shaken gently, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to rack. Cool completely. Cover; chill overnight.
Release pan sides from cheesecake. Arrange strawberries around outer edge of cheesecake. Cut into wedges.