Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Directions

Cookie Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray.
2. In a food processor or blender, pulse chocolate sandwich cookies into a fine crumb, then stream in melted butter until a sand-like texture is reached.
3. Pour crust into greased pan and spread into a loose even layer. Using the bottom of a flat measuring cup or glass, press crust into bottom and up sides of pan.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool while making filling. Strawberry Cheesecake Filling:
5. Drop oven temp. to 325°F. Place a large roasting pan on bottom oven rack. Start a pot of boiling water (about 6 cups) on stove.
6. In a food processor, pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sugar, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and flour. Cream together with an electric mixer or in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until smooth. Scrape down bowl and mix on low for another 20 seconds.
8. Mix in vanilla extract, kosher salt, and lemon juice, scraping sides along the way.
9. Add in eggs one at a time on low speed. After 2nd egg is mixed in, stop and scrape down bowl. Mix for 20 seconds then continue with last egg, then final egg yolk, and mix until smooth.
10. Gently mix in sour cream and strawberry preserves until combined with a rubber spatula. Do not overmix.

Assemble & Bake:

1. Pour batter into cooled crust and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula.
2. Remove roasting pan from oven and carefully pour boiling water into pan in preheated oven and push rack back in. Place cheesecake just above roasting pan on middle rack and bake for 60-80 minutes.
3. Let cheesecake sit in turned off oven with door open for 1 hour.
4. Remove cheesecake and let sit at room temp. on a cooling rack for at least another 30 minutes, preferably another hour.
5. Place cheesecake uncovered in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.

Topping:

1. After cheesecake has cooled completely, remove from pan gently and place on a serving stand while making chocolate ganache topping.
2. Place Bittersweet Cacao Wafers in a heat-safe bowl and set aside.
3. Heat heavy cream on stovetop until bubbles begin to appear but do not boil! You can also heat cream in microwave in 20-second increments until hot.
4. Once the cream is hot, pour over top of cacao wafers in bowl, ensuring all pieces are covered. Let mixture sit untouched for 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir mixture with rubber spatula to melt completely until silky smooth.
6. Pour ganache over chilled cheesecake and use an offset spatula to spread ganache to edges.
7. Once covered, place in refrigerator and allow to chill until ganache has set, about 30 minutes to an hour.
8. After ganache has set, place strawberry pieces over top and cut cheesecake into 14-16 slices.

Chocolate Drizzle (Optional):

1. If desired, prepare a chocolate drizzle for top by placing Bittersweet Cacao Wafers and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50% powder in 20-second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is mostly melted.
2. Continue stirring until chocolate has melted completely. Once melted and smooth, drizzle chocolate over top of each slice of cheesecake. Enjoy!