2cupsfresh strawberries hulled and quartereddivided
½cupsugar
1tablespoonlemon juice
1tablespooncornstarch
¼cupwater
¼teaspooncoarse sea salt
Crust:
1 ¾cupcrushed graham crackers
2Tablespoonssugar
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground ginger
5Tablespoonsmelted butter
Cheesecake Filling:
3- 8ozcontainers of full fat cream cheeseroom temperature
¾cupgranulated sugar
3eggs
1 ½teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupsour cream
½lemonzest and juice
Pinchof salt
Instructions
Strawberry Sauce
Add 1 cup of sliced strawberries to a mediaum sauce pan with the sugar and mash using a potato masher or pastry cutter.
Stir in the cornstarch, lemon juice and water.
Bring to a low boil.
Stirring constantly, cook for 3-8 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat, stir in reserved 1 cup chopped diced strawberries and the salt. Allow to cool fully before refrigerating or freezing.
Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Grease a 9” springform pan and set aside.
Crush the graham crackers and place in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, pinch of salt, and melted butter until combined and crumbly.
Place the mixture into the prepared springform pan and evenly spread out.
Use a flat bottomed glass to press the crust in, allowing it to go up the side a little.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool.
Cheesecake Filling
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes, until soft and fluffy.
Add in the sugar and vanilla and mix until just barely combined.
Add in the eggs and mix until just barely combined.
Add in the sour cream, salt, and lemon zest and juice. Mix until just barely combined. Do not overmix.
The mixture should look smooth and glossy.
Assembly
Pour half of the cheesecake mixture into the cooled crust.
Dollop some of the strawberry sauce (the half reserved for the swirls) by spoonfuls onto the cheesecake mixture.
Carefully place the remaining cheesecake mixture on top of the strawberry sauce. Smooth the top.
Dollop the remaining strawberry sauce for swirls onto the top of the cheesecake mixture, using spoonfuls to randomly space out the dollops of different sizes.
Use a sharp knife to drag through the dollops, allowing swirls to create.
Baking
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, on the middle shelf of the oven, until the edges are golden and the middle is only slightly wobbly.
Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes to cool.
Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool in the pan for 45 minutes, until mostly room temperature.
Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours to chill.
Release the springform pan from around the cheesecake and serve with remaining strawberry sauce.
Notes
Store wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days.