STRAWBERRY-TOPPED CHEESECAKE WITH GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Strawberry-Topped Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust image

Categories Cake Berry Cheese Dairy Dessert Bake Fourth of July Cream Cheese Strawberry Party Bon Appétit

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

For crust
20 whole graham cracker (10 ounces total), broken
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
For filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
5 large eggs
For topping
2 cups sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 16-ounce baskets strawberries, hulled
1 18-ounce jar raspberry jelly

Steps:

Make crust:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Wrap foil around outside of 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Combine graham crackers, butter and sugar in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until crumbs begin to stick together. Press crumbs onto bottom and 2 3/4 inches up sides of springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.
Make filling:
Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in large bowl until very smooth. Beat in flour. Add eggs and beat just until blended, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Pour batter into crust.
Bake cheesecake until outer 2-inch edge of cake os puffed and slightly cracked, center is just set and top is brown in spots, about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
Make topping:
Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl to blend.
Spoon topping over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake until topping is just set, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Run knife between crust and pan.
Cool hot cake in pan on rack, Chill overnight.
Release pan sides from cheesecake. Arrange whole berries, points facing up, atop cheesecake; cover completely. Stir jelly in heavy small saucepan over medium-=low heat until melted.Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Brush enough jelly over berries to glaze generously, allowing some to drip between berries. Reserve remaining glaze in saucepan. (Cake and glaze can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover cake and refrigerate.)
Rewarm remaining glaze until pourable. Cut cake into wedges. Pass remaining glaze separately.