Cheesecake De Luxe

Of all the desserts pie and cheesecake are my two favorites. Well, there’s also Molasses cookies, anything chocolate, carrot cake, cobbler…..ok well cheesecake is still on of my favorites. Truth is I love sweets! I love homemade baked goods and made from scratch desserts. Who doesn’t?
One of my co-workers, Julie, passed along a recipe to me a couple of weeks ago for a cheesecake her husband makes. Yes ladies, I said her HUSBAND! Oh how I wish Charlie would whip me up some cookies ever once in awhile. Anyways, Julie said this is her absolute favorite cheesecake.

I haven’t yet made this recipe yet, and you know I don’t post anything on my blog unless I’ve made it with my own two hands, but Julie (the sweetheart that she is) brought me in a piece the other day. She and I devoured a piece each within a minute flat. It was truly the best cheesecake my lips have ever touched!

CHEESECAKE DE LUXE
by Julie Harker
8 servings

6 (8 oz) cream cheese
l/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 3/4 cups plus
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
one quarter cup cream
Crust
(see following recipe)

1 quart strawberries
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon butter

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon rind. Combine 13/4 cups of the sugar, the flour and salt. Gradually blend into cheese mixture. Beat in eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, and the cream. Beat well. Pour mixture into the prepared crust. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°F. Bake for 1 1/2 hours longer, or until set. Turn off heat. Allow cake to remain in the oven with door ajar for 30 minutes. Cool on a rack. Chill.

To prepare the glaze, wash and hull the strawberries. Crush enough berries to make one half cup. Boil the crushed berries, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the water and cornstarch 2 minutes, stirring. Add the butter. Strain and cool. Arrange the whole berries over the top of the cheesecake and pour the glaze over the berries. Chill.

CRUST FOR 1 (9-INCH) SPRINGFORM PAN
2/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 pound butter
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
l/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400°F.Combine flour, sugar and lemon rind. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Mix. Pat one third of the dough over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with sides removed. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until golden. Cool. Butter the sides of the pan and attach to the bottom. Pat remaining dough around sides to a height of 2 inches.