vanilla cheesecake with strawberry coulis

 

This is probably the best cheesecake I’ve ever eaten.

In fact, my husband liked it so much that he declared I was “not allowed to use another cheesecake recipe EVER AGAIN.”

I got the original recipe here. It’s pretty amazing.

Perfect Vanilla Cheesecake

Crust:
1-1/3 c. honey graham cracker crumbs
3 T. sugar
1/3 c. melted butter

I processed the graham crackers in the smaller bowl attachment of my food processor, then added the sugar and butter and pulsed it until combined. But you can do it by hand if you want. :) Press the mixture into the greased or parchment-lined bottom of a nine-inch springform cheesecake pan.

Cheesecake:
(3) 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
1 c. whipping cream (I’ve substituted half-and-half before with good results)

Again I did all this in my food processor.
Cream together the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, blend in vanilla and whipping cream. Pour the batter over prepared crust and bake at 300 degrees for 60-70 minutes, or until the top loses its shine (it’s okay if it’s still wobbly in the center). Let it sit at room temperature until completely cool, then store in the refrigerator.

I like to bake it with an 8x8-inch pan about half full of water on the bottom rack. The humidity seems to help reduce cracks in the top. :)

Strawberry Coulis

2 c. fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed completely if frozen)
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar

Combine all three ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly, until it begins to take on a syrupy texture. Remove from heat and allow to cool before pureeing in a blender. You can strain the seeds out, but that didn’t seem necessary for strawberries, in my opinion. :) Serve the chilled coulis over cheesecake.

Enjoy!