Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour and 45 mins | Course: Dessert | Yield: 12
Strawberry cheesecake covered with a chocolate ganache glaze and fresh strawberries. This recipe takes some time to reduce the strawberry puree which gives the recipe a lovely and intense strawberry flavor. Inspired by Lindsay of Life Love and Sugar https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/chocolate-covered-strawberry-cheesecake/
Strawberry Puree:
3 cups strawberries, hulled
Cookie Crust:
9 oz cookies or graham crackers
½ cup walnuts or other nuts, optional
¼ cup butter, melted
Cheesecake:
3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 orange, zested
1 ½ cups strawberry puree
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Chocolate Ganache:
½ cup heavy cream
8 oz dark chocolate chips
Strawberries, for garnish
Puree hulled strawberries in a blender then pour into a saucepan and cook stirring occasionally over low heat until reduced by half. Keep a glass measurer nearby and if it’s more than 1 ½ cups, return to the saucepan. This may take up to an hour. Allow to cool while putting other elements together.
Wrap a 9” springform pan in 3 layers of tin foil and set to one side. In a food processor, pulse cookies and walnuts to fine crumbs. Pour melted butter through the feed tube, pulsing until mixed through. Press crumbs into the springform pan and up the sides, smoothing with a flat-bottomed cup. Preheat oven to 350*.
In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch until incorporated. Add orange zest, strawberry puree, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, and orange liquor. Pour into the cookie crust. Place the foil-lined pan in a large baking dish or skillet and add water to create a water bath that comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave it in the oven for an additional hour. Remove from the oven and the water bath, then chill in the refrigerator.
In a 2 quart measurer or microwave-safe bowl, microwave cream for 2 minutes. Add chocolate and stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the chilled cheesecake and smooth. Decorate with fresh strawberries.
