creamy cheesecake with raspberry sauce

 I made a cheesecake! My first, actually.  I had a hard time deciding what recipe I wanted to use, so I grabbed a random recipe book (which ended up being Better Homes and Gardens) and looked it up! But that one looked just alright so I looked at the newer version of it, and it looked like it would be absolutely delicious, which it was.

(Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, page 284, Cheesecake Supreme)

            

Cheesecake:

Prep: 30 min  Bake: 40 min  Oven: 375ºF  

Cool: 2 Hours  Chill: 4 Hours  Makes: 12 slices

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

            3 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened (3 heaping cups)

                             1 cup granulated sugar

                                2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

                             1 tsp. vanilla

                             1/4 cup milk

                              3 eggs, slightly beaten

                                        1/2 tsp. fine lemon zest (optional)

                                               1 recipe raspberry sauce (given below)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. for crust, combine crushed graham crackers, walnuts, the 1 Tbsp sugar, and, if desired, the cinnamon.  Stir in melted buter. 

Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of an 8 or 9 inch springform pan. (I used 8 1/2 inch); set aside.  I had a hard time getting the crust that far up the sides without leaving holes in the bottom of the crust, but it eventually worked out.

For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.  Then add and mix the flour and vanilla until combined.  Beat in milk until smooth.  Stir in eggs and, if desired, lemon zest.

Pour filling into crust-lined pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes for the 8 inch pan and 35-40 minutes for the 9 inch pan.

While the cheesecake is baking, you can start on the sauce. Now I didn't do mine until the day after because I didn't have time to do it that night, but that doesn't really matter. Anyways, it was really good. Again, I had issues with picking out which recipe to use when I finally said, screw it. I'm smart. I'll make up my own! And so I did. 

8 oz Raspberries (or other berries I suppose would work as well)

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

(I added 1 Tbsp towards the end and regretted it because it ended up being too sweet.)

1/4 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. lemon zest

The first thing you will want to do is obviously to wash the berries. 

Put them in a food processor (I used a blender) until well, processed so it looks like just a bunch of berry goop.  

If you like seeds, then great. If not (I don't), You can pour the berry goop into a small holed strainer and let the juices come out that way leaving the seeds inside the strainer as shown below.  Make sure the strainer is above the pan you will use to cook the sauce in.  This will actually take a little bit of time because you will need to use a spatula to kind of push the berry juice out past the seeds and then scrape underneath the strainer as well.  

Put the saucepan on the burner over medium low heat and add the sugar, honey, cornstarch, and lemon zest.  Stir mixture until it starts to bubble.  

Take it off the burner and let it cool.  As it cools, the puree will begin to thicken and become more sauce-like.  By this time, the cheesecake should be at least almost done. (This sauce is good warm or cold.)  

When the cheesecake is done, there will be a 2 1/2 inch area around the outside edge that will appear set when slightly shaken.  

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Using a small sharp knife, loosen the crust from pan sides; cool cheesecake completely on rack.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.  If you like the sauce warm, heat it up in pan until the desired warmth.

 Serve with raspberry sauce and enjoy!!!