Mixed Berry Cheesecake
I am not a real fan of cheesecake. It is the one dessert that is very easy for me to pass up. Maybe it is because it always looks like a chunk of “heavy calories” sitting on the plate. Heavy because I know where they will land when I eat it and I will be heavier!
What did appeal to me about this recipe was the berries. They look lovely piled on top of the cheesecake. They also taste heavenly. I am a fan of berries so loving them was easy and I hate to admit it but serving them with cheesecake was a winning combination!
Ina Garten’s Mixed Berry Cheesecake is one of the recipes that Barefoot Bloggers are preparing this month and why not? Berries are still abundant! Those who enjoy cheesecake will like this one. The cake is not thick and heavy. The addition of lemon zest gives it a great little spark. It is “light” for a cheesecake. I must admit that as a non-lover of cheesecake…I actually enjoyed every bite of my piece!
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
1 cup red jelly (not jam) such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
1/2 pint sliced strawberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
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 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 berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I must admit that I didn’t wait overnight to serve the cheesecake. One should read everything before doing anything and since I did not I refrigerated it for only a few hours.
Doesn’t this look heavenly? Yum!
