New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
The hubby had surgery for a hiatal hernia last week. He was fortunate – the hospital stopped doing elective surgeries the day after due to the current crisis. He’s on a restricted diet for a few weeks with the first couple of days being clear liquids, then full liquids, then soft foods for a bit. He is supposed to go back to the doctor in two weeks but who knows if that appointment will be canceled or perhaps held remotely. I have a series of recipes I will use for his main courses but desserts are tricky when he can’t eat cake or the like so I did make him some ice cream and today I made a New York Cheesecake. He is not allowed the strawberry balsamic sauce yet but he can have the whipped cream. Poor man….
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The base cheesecake recipe is adapted from The Big Sky Bounty Cookbook. (see my review) Finding no graham crackers in my pantry. I improvised a crust from butter crackers. I could have made vanilla wafers or some other cookie but I just wasn’t in the mood for all that baking. The cracker crust is actually quite tasty.
New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
Serves 10-12
Crust
2 cups butter cracker crumbs (Like Ritz or Towne House)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 TBS unsalted butter, melted
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Filling
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese ( 5, 8oz pkgs) at room temperature
1 lemon, zest and 1/2 tsp of juice
1/2 tsp of orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 TBS all purpose flour
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
4 cups frozen whole strawberries
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 TBS vanilla
Preheat oven to 375°
Butter the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with 3″ sides
In a bowl combine the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter. Mix well
Press the cracker mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
Bake until light golden in color, about 8 minutes. Remove and let cool
Lower the temperature to 350°
Heat and keep warm enough water to fill a roasting pan large enough to hold the springform pan.
When the pan is cool butter the sides and wrap the sides and bottom in several layers of heavy duty aluminum foil
Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan.
Place the springform into the roasting pan and place it on the oven rack. Carefully add enouth hot water to come halfway up the side of the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly you can create a foil tent.
The cheesecake is done when the center does not jiggle.
Cool on a wire rack, remove the foil.
Refrigerate overnight before serving.
Make the Strawberry Balsamic Sauce:
Add the frozen strawberries, sugar and balsamic to a non reactive pot over medium heat.
Let cook over medium low heat until the strawberries start to thaw. Mash them with a potato masher or large spoon.
Let the strawberry balsamic mixture come to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 20 minutes to reduce the liquid
Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Cool in the refrigerator overnight to serve with the cheesecake
How Was the New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce?
Oh, it was delicious! The strawberry sauce was the perfect combination of sweet and tart with that little something extra from the balsamic vinegar. I did have a bit of fresh whipped cream with my piece and it was just a delightful dessert. Cheesecake has to be my favorite treat. I think the Turtle Cheesecake I made once was my all time favorite.
