Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

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Classic Strawberry Cheesecake - Baked (video recipe)

Strawberry cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert with fresh or frozen strawberries. This basic cheesecake batter over graham cracker crust is baked in a water bath then topped with a delicious strawberry filling.

I am a huge fan of cheesecakes and in my slimmer days, I would often trade lunch for a slice of cheesecake. All my friends knew I loved cheesecakes so often they'd use it to lure me into favors such as cooking them lunch.

I lived in Singapore at the time and we'd be a bunch of us working away from home. So food was usually not home cooked but canteen stuff, food court stuff.
Once in a while, we'd get together to cook something. I was usually the appointed chef, my flatmate would be the dishwasher, another would be the Su Chef cutting and chopping, one would take care of the wine, and the other would buy the dessert. So dessert would be cheesecakes cause of me. Oh, happy days..!!

These days my kids get to decide what's for dessert. If I get Ziv to choose he goes for anything Chocolate. So I try my best to balance out and make sure we all take turns to choose. Rhea loves this strawberry cheesecake but Aadi loves the Strawberry Jello Cheesecake more.

About this baked strawberry cheesecake

This baked strawberry cheesecake has three components.

• The crust - Today, I am using Graham crackers for the crust. But, if you don't have or cannot find Graham crackers you can use my homemade cheesecake crust. I have shared three methods to make cheesecake crust from scratch and it's very simple and easy to make.
• The cheesecake batter - Rich, creamy and decadent made with full-fat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and eggs. It is my no-fail vanilla cheesecake batter that can be used in so many variations.
• The strawberry filling - The Best thing about this strawberry filling is that you can pour it over the baked cheesecake, or serve it along with the cheesecake. I choose to serve the mango filling along with because I often will make more than one filling so people have an option such as my raspberry filling, cherry filling, blackberry fillings, blueberry filling, and others

What is the secret to baking a perfect cheesecake? Well, I think there are several very important things. I will explain more later on in the post. These are the directions you should follow.

• Room temperature ingredients
• Don't over-mix the batter
• Bake in a water bath
• Loosen the cheesecake before you chill it
• Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight

Ingredients and substitutes  

• Cream Cheese – I always use Mascarpone or Philadelphia because it's what I find in my supermarket. I'm not brand conscious so ideally, you are looking to find any cream cheese with a fat content of over 35%.
  Having said that if you choose to use a low percentage of cream cheese you may want to add an extra 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour for stability.
  It's obvious it will affect both taste and texture but if you looking to save on a few calories while still enjoying a good cheesecake then that's one way to go about it.
• Sour Cream – Adds a real zing. For those of you who cannot find a commercial sour cream or don't have some on hand. No worries. You can make it at home.. here's my homemade sour cream recipe for you.
• Strawberry - You can use frozen or fresh strawberries for this recipe. When in the season I use the fresh strawberries but during the year I do use frozen and guess what? no one knows the difference.
• Cookie Crust – You can use a homemade cookie crust – I shared the recipe with you in my Classic Strawberry Cheesecake recipe

Useful Tips and Tools

• I like to use my food processor to crush the crackers so I can save time. And yet, you can certainly do it by hand. It's also a lot less messy in the processor.
• Cheesecakes are best made in springform pans, so you can take them off easily.
• Also, I like to use my kitchen scale when baking (read how to measure ingredients correctly here).
• Some of the ingredients will also need measuring cups and spoons.
• Always keep your cheesecakes on a baking tray for easy clean up in case of spills and overflows.
• Most baked cheesecakes are baked in water baths. Therefore, you will need aluminum foil to wrap the bottom of the springform pan or muffin pans.
• In addition, if you make a baked cheesecake, you will need a baking dish to place the springform in so you can pour water on the outside.

How to make Strawberry Cheesecake (save/pin)

• I am using an 8-inch round springform pan because I like a little height for my cheesecakes. This will also work with a 9-inch springform pan.
• Preheat the oven at 160 C / 320 F.
• Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature, especially the cream cheese.

Strawberry filling

• Heat the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 cup water over low heat until the sugar has melted
• Combine remaining water with cornstarch.
• Add to the strawberries. Continue to cook on low heat until the filling is thick and glossy.
• Remove and cool completely

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Cheesecake crust

• Pulse Graham crackers in a food processor.
• Add sugar - combine well.
• Then, add the melted butter - combine well.
• Pour the crumbs in an 8-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes
• Wrap the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil.
• Cool to room temperature before pouring cheesecake batter.

Baked Classic Cheesecake Recipe Progress Pictures4

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Cheesecake batter

• Place the cream cheese in an electric mixer.
• Add the sour cream - combine well.
• Next, add the sugar - combine well.
• Then, add the cornflour, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla - combine well.
• Finally, add the beaten eggs - combine well.
• Pour the cream cheese filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan. Tap the pan to help the batter settle.

Baked Classic Cheesecake Recipe Progress Pictures9

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Bake - water bath

• Place the springform pan in a baking pan or roasting rack.
• Pour 2 cups of hot water in the roasting rack outside the springform pan.
• Bake for 70 to 80 minutes until set.

Chill

• Remove from the oven - let cool at room temperature.
• Use an offset spatula to loosen the sides of the pan.
• Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight.
• You can pour the blueberry filling over the cheesecake before chilling it
• Or serve the strawberry filling along with the cheesecake as I have done here.
• Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 150 C/ 300 F
• Wrap the outside of your springform pan in foil so no water will enter the cheesecake while baking in a water bath.

Best Strawberry Cheesecake, Baked

Author: Veena Azmanov

5 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Calories: 380kcal

Adjust Servings Here: 9 Servings

Description

Strawberry cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert with fresh or frozen strawberries. This basic cheesecake batter over graham cracker crust is baked in a water bath then topped with a delicious strawberry filling.

ADJUST SERVINGS HERE - 9 Servings

Ingredients

Strawberry filling

• 7 oz (200 g) Strawberries7 oz (200 g) Strawberries
• 1/4 cup White sugar1/4 cup White sugar
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Water (divided)1/2 cup Water (divided)

Crust

• 7 oz (200 g) Graham crackers7 oz (200 g) Graham crackers
• 1/4 cup Butter unsalted1/4 cup Butter unsalted
• 4 tbsp Sugar4 tbsp Sugar

Cheesecake filling

• 24 oz (680 g) Cream cheese room temperature24 oz (680 g) Cream cheese room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) Sour cream room temperature1 cup (240 ml) Sour cream room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) Sugar1 cup (200 g) Sugar
• 4 tbsp Cornstarch cornflour4 tbsp Cornstarch cornflour
• 4 Eggs large beaten4 Eggs large beaten
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Salt1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

• I am using an 8-inch round springform pan because I like a little height for my cheesecakes. This will also work with a 9-inch springform pan.
• Preheat the oven at 160 C / 320 F.
• Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature, especially the cream cheese.

Strawberry filling

• Heat the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 cup water over low heat until the sugar has melted
• Combine remaining water with cornstarch.
• Add to the strawberries. Continue to cook on low heat until the filling is thick and glossy.
• Remove and cool completely

Cheesecake crust

• Pulse Graham crackers in a food processor.
• Add sugar - combine well.
• Then, add the melted butter - combine well.
• Pour the crumbs in an 8-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes
• Wrap the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil.
• Cool to room temperature before pouring cheesecake batter.

Cheesecake batter

• Place the cream cheese in an electric mixer.
• Add the sour cream - combine well.
• Next, add the sugar - combine well.
• Then, add the cornflour, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla - combine well.
• Finally, add the beaten eggs - combine well.
• Pour the cream cheese filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan. Tap the pan to help the batter settle.

Bake - water bath

• Place the springform pan in a baking pan or roasting rack.
• Pour 2 cups of hot water in the roasting rack outside the springform pan.
• Bake for 70 to 80 minutes until set.

Chill

• Remove from the oven - let cool at room temperature.
• Use an offset spatula to loosen the sides of the pan.
• Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours - preferably overnight.
• You can pour the blueberry filling over the cheesecake before chilling it
• Or serve the strawberry filling along with the cheesecake as I have done here.
• Have all your ingredients ready at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 150 C/ 300 F
• Wrap the outside of your springform pan in foil so no water will enter the cheesecake while baking in a water bath.

Recipe Notes

Six tips when making cheesecakes

• Temperature - Always have your ingredients at room temperature. If necessary delay it by a few minutes just so they thaw. You can thaw cream cheese in the microwave at 50% power for 10 secs at a time. Do not melt it as it does alter the taste. Place eggs in warm water to thaw – room temperature eggs mix well in the cheese batter and works best for consistency.
• Quality - Use good quality high-fat cream cheese, like mascarpone Philadelphia as they are thicker in consistency as compared to low-fat cream cheese, which can affect the consistency of your baked batter.
• Pans - Prepare your baking pans properly. Use a springform pan when baking a cheesecake. When baking in a water bath foil the outside of the pan to prevent water from getting into the cheesecake.
• Mixing - Never over-mix a cheesecake batter as this will incorporate air and lead to cracking.
• Crust - bake the cheesecake crust for 10 to 12 minutes before you add the cheesecake crust. This will prevent a soggy crust later. 
• Baking - Since cream cheese batter is similar to a custard, baking in a water bath helps keep the custard batter soft and supple rather than dry and spongy. This also prevents cracking.
• Cooling  - Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake before you cool it. This will prevent the cake from cracking as it shrinks while cooling. Make sure to let the cake cool properly. This also helps the custard set and you will be able to make pretty, neat slices. Of course, a chilled cheesecake is also more delicious than a warm one.

 

Notes - 

• Make-ahead - it is always best to make the cheesecake a day ahead of serving. This cheesecake can be made up to 3 days ahead. It will keep well in the fridge for 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze this cheesecake for up to 3 months.
• Water bath - A water bath is simply placing the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Then pour hot water in the roasting pan (outside the cake pan). The steam created by the water helps the custard-based cheesecake bake without cracking. Alternatively, you can place another large baking pan with water on the bottom of the oven if you don't have a large roasting pan or are afraid that springform pan may leak. 
• Toppings - I am a huge fan of classic cheesecake without anything on it. But, this is a basic cheesecake and can be topped with an endless list of toppings such as fruit fillings, caramel sauce, butterscotch sauce, chocolate syrup. Try my blueberry cheesecake, cherry cheesecake, mango cheesecake

 

Equipment

Springfoam Pan 9

Stand Mixer

Mixing Bowl

Aluminum Foil

Nutrition Information

Serving: 172gCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 10.5gFat: 20.4gSaturated Fat: 9.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 0mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 22.5gVitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 0mgIron: 0mg

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Did you make this recipe? Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov

Troubleshooting

My cheesecake is curdled?

If you try to mix the batter with cold ingredients they will not blend well and result in curdling. The best way to smooth this would be to warm the batter in a double boiler and let the batter become smooth. Then let it cool to room temperature before you bake.

Why did my baked strawberry cheesecake crack?

Over mixing a cheesecake batter usually is the culprit for cracks as too much air gets incorporated while mixing. The air makes the cheesecake rise during baking and the collapse during cooling causing a crack.

How can I keep my cheesecake from cracking?

• Avoid over mixing.
• Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature especially the cream cheese.
• Cold cream cheese results in over mixing instead let the cheesecake come to room temperature.
• Always mix the batter just until the ingredients are incorporated.

How do I fix a crack cheesecake?

• If possible add a topping like a sour cream topping and bake for 5 minutes.
• Alternatively, add a fruit filling on the cheesecake and chill it until set.
• Another way would be to chill the cake well first. Use clean hand to close the crack.
• Using a hot spatula to smooth the top as best you can.

Frequently asked questions

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