Nonna’s Date-Night Strawberry Cheesecake (7”)

Show your darling lady or gentleman you love them with my Nonna’s delicious strawberry cheesecake. Probably the only seven inches of love you’ll be serving tonight. Enjoy!

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Take your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs out of the fridge to reach room temperature. For the crust: crush your graham cracker, before mixing with melted butter and sugar. Shape into a crust at the bottom of your greased 7” springform pan. Let sit in the fridge to set.

Step 2

Make sure your cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add your cream cheese and sugar and beat on a low speed until combined, scraping the bowl down as you go. (Remember to not overbeat your mixture, as it will cause cracks in the final product.) Add your sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Then add in your eggs—one at a time—until combined.

Step 3

Pour your batter on your crust. Place your springform pan on a baking tray and fill with hot water (wrap 1–2 layers of tinfoil around your crust if you’re afraid of water leaking in). The water bath helps the cheesecake bake evenly. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. It should still jiggle slightly in the middle! Let cool.

Step 4

For the compote: combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in water and strawberries. Bring to a boil and simmer until clear and thickened—about four minutes. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and let chill. Put as much as you want on your cheesecake.