Strawberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Covered Strawberry Easter Eggs

121

108

By Chef Eddy Van Damme

Prep Time:

45m

Bake/Cook Time:

1h 20m - 1h 30m

Yield:

8 slices

Plan for:

30 min - overnight cool time

This show-stopping Strawberry Cheesecake with Chocolate Covered Strawberry Easter Eggs is better than anything you'll find at the store. Plus, it's a whole lot easier to make than it looks. Decorating the strawberries is a lot of fun for chefs of all ages. Makes the perfect centerpiece for any Easter occasion.

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Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham crackers
5 tablespoons melted butter
3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, soft at room temperature
1 1/4 cups Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 package (1 1/2 oz) dried strawberries (optional)

Decoration

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Easter Eggs
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
To make crust, crush graham crackers with a rolling pin to obtain 1 1/2 cup. Add melted butter and combine well. Press onto bottom of a 9-inch diameter spring form pan and place in oven for 8 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Place springform pan on 3 layers of aluminum foil and wrap outside of pan tightly with foil. Ensure that no water can penetrate thru foil. Place in a roasting pan and set aside.
Blend cream cheese and sugar on lowest speed, alternatively mix by using a hand held spatula until no lumps remain. Scrape bowl well. Add one egg or yolk at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated and mixture shows no lumps. Scrape bowl and beater between additions.
Add sour cream and vanilla. Add dried strawberries if using.
Pour batter into pan. Pour water into roasting pan about one inch high, place cheesecake into roasting pan and place in oven.
Bake until center of cake no longer trembles when tapping sides of pan, about 80-90 minutes.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and place in refrigerator overnight or until cool.
Prepare chocolate dipped strawberries on the day you are planning to serve cheesecake.
Whip cream and remaining sugar to stiff peaks and pipe a border around the edge.
Fill center of cheesecake with chocolate dipped strawberries.