White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Raspberry Sauce: 

12 oz. frozen raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tb. Water

1 Tb. Cornstarch

Crust:  

2 1/2 cups oreo crumbs (about 25 cookies)

6 Tb. Butter, melted

Cheesecake: 

1 cup white chocolate chips

3 (8oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, at room temp.

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbs. flour

3/4 cup sour cream

Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Sauce: place berries, sugar and 2 Tb. Water in pan over medium heat.  Stir occasionally, mashing berries with spoon, until mixture boils.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes (after this I strain mixture to remove some seeds). Combine 1 Tb. Water and cornstarch in small bowl and then add to sauce.  Simmer 1-2 minutes till slightly thickened.  

Crust:  Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter,  Press into bottom and 1” up sides of 10’ springform pan (I have done this a pie plate as well). 

*preheat oven to 350 deg.

Cheesecake:  Place the white chocolate chips in microwave and heat in 30 sec. intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.  In separate bowl mix cream cheese and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.  Add extracts, flour and sour cream, beat until combined.  Add white chocolate to running mixer to incorporate.

Pour 1/2 of cheesecake mixture in pan.  Drizzle 2 Tb. of raspberry sauce over and use a knife to swirl it in.  Add remaining cheesecake mixture and add another 2 Tb. sauce and swirl it in again.

Place cheesecake on top of 2 layers of foil.  Wrap the foil up the sides of the pan to prevent water from leaking into the pan (not necessary if using pie plate). Place into a larger shallow pan and place in oven.  Pour enough hot water into larger pan to reach about 2/3 up the sides of cheesecake.  Bake 70-80 minutes or until it is set on top and very lightly golden around edges.

Remove from oven and let continue to sit in water bath for 30 minutes.  Remove from water and place on cooling rack till room temp.  Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

To serve remove from springform pan and cut into wedges.  Serve with remaining raspberry sauce drizzled over top.

Recipe: Heather

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