This decadent cheesecake is ready to be paired with your favorite fruit
We are headed toward the time when almost any fruit you come across can be delightful paired with a creamy, decadent cheesecake. This recipe has a classic and simple graham cracker crust, a creamier-than-most-cheesecakes interior, and a refreshing sour cream and vanilla topping. And to top it all off, I share a recipe for raspberry coulis, which not only packs a perfect fruity punch here, it’s also wonderful on all kinds of things like plain Greek yogurt, ice cream, cake and pancakes.
If you’re able and time allows, I would recommend making this cheesecake the day before you want to serve it. This will give it plenty of time to set up and cool in the fridge. I love how a little goes such a long way that a single cake can easily serve 12 guests.
Let’s say you didn’t feel like making a raspberry coulis but had a hankering for some other fruit. You could use the same method and instead use many other fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, apricots, rhubarb or mango. What you want to keep in mind when making any coulis is the acidity and sweetness of the fruit itself. If your fruit is on the sweeter side (like strawberries and mango) you might want to add a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice to balance the flavors. On the other hand, for a fruit like rhubarb or blackberries, you will want to give it a taste and see if it needs some additional sugar.
CHEESECAKE WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING AND RASPBERRY SAUCE Makes: 12 servings; total time: 5 hours
For the crust:
15 graham crackers,
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
For the filling:
2 pounds (4 packs) cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup heavy cream For the sour cream frosting:
2 cups sour cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
For the raspberry coulis:
6 ounces (1½ cups) raspberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. This will enable you to move the cheesecake to a different platter before serving. First, let’s make the crust. In a dry blender or food processor, pulse the graham crackers into a powder. Stir in the sugar and butter, and using a flat-bottomed cup, press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from the oven.
While the crust is cooling, make the filling. Place the cream cheese in an ovenproof baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the hot cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar, salt, vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Whisk in sour cream and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, another minute more.
Pour this mixture into springform pan on top of the crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 225 degrees and bake for an additional 1 hour, 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, and crack open the oven door for an hour to let it cool slowly (this prevents it from cracking). Then remove the cake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to cool for at least three more hours.
While the cake is baking, it’s a perfect time to make the topping and raspberry coulis. To make the sour cream topping, whisk together the sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
To make the coulis, in a saucepan over medium heat, bring the raspberries, sugar and water to a simmer. Let this cook for around 15 minutes, or until the raspberries have started to release their juices. Turn off the heat and carefully blend until smooth. Set up a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the raspberry sauce into the strainer. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sauce through the strainer until only the raspberry seeds are left. Discard the seeds, and store the sauce in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve the cheesecake, use a small knife to carefully follow the perimeter of the springform pan separating the cake from the pan. Release the clip to remove the side ring. Spread the sour cream frosting over the top of the cake with a rubber or offset spatula, slice and serve the raspberry sauce drizzled on the plate or atop the cheesecake.