Description
This Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake features a creamy, decadent white chocolate and cream cheese filling swirled with a luscious homemade strawberry sauce on a buttery graham cracker crust. Baked to perfection, this dessert offers a stunning marble effect and a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, making it a show-stopping treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Sauce:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) strawberries, chopped (8 ounces after cutting off tops, 8 ounces frozen)
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs (about 13 full sheets of graham crackers)
- ⅓ cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) salted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate baking bar
- 32 ounces (907 grams) block cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, beaten slightly
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Strawberry Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine chopped strawberries, water, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and breaking up the strawberries as it simmers. Continue cooking until the strawberries release their juices and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and press mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Allow the sauce to cool completely.
- Make Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until the mixture resembles fine sand. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 7-8 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool while preparing the filling.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Break white chocolate into pieces and melt in a microwave in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Alternatively, melt over a double boiler. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream and flour; mix on low speed, scraping the bowl’s sides and bottom.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Add eggs one at a time at low speed, scraping the bowl between additions, to avoid overbeating. Mix in vanilla extract and the cooled melted white chocolate gently until combined.
- Assemble Cheesecake: Pour half the batter over the cooled crust. Dollop about 3 tablespoons of strawberry sauce over the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top, then dollop another 3 tablespoons of sauce. Use the tip of a knife to swirl the sauce through the batter to create a marbled effect.
- Bake the Cheesecake: Place the pan on a rack in the lower two-thirds of the oven. Bake for 65-75 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Cool Cheesecake: Turn off oven and prop the oven door open. Let cheesecake sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the pan’s inner edge to loosen the cake. Allow it to cool for 1-2 hours undisturbed, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- If located in the UK, substitute digestive biscuits for graham cracker crumbs and reduce the granulated sugar to ¼ cup (50 grams).
- For storage, wrap the cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- For freezing, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and heavy-duty aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- To prevent cracks, avoid overmixing the batter, bake at low temperature, and let cheesecake cool gradually inside the turned-off oven with door ajar.
Keywords: Strawberry cheesecake, white chocolate cheesecake, homemade cheesecake, graham cracker crust, marble cheesecake, dessert recipe