Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake

This incredible Strawberries & Cream Cheesecake is absolutely delicious with creamy vanilla white chocolate cheesecake swirled with fresh strawberry cheesecake. It's topped with whipped cream and strawberry compote. There is so much fruity flavor built into this cheesecake and the texture is incredibly silky - it's almost mousse-like. This strawberry cheesecake is perfect to celebrate Spring since it's not too heavy and it feels so fresh. As much as I love dark chocolate, red berries pair best with sweet creamy flavors like white chocolate and a bite of this cheesecake almost tastes like a spoonful of a premium strawberry ice cream sundae! If you love cheesecake, check out my Perfect Vanilla Cheesecake that is so creamy and made without a water bath, my New York Style Cheesecake and also my Triple Chocolate Cheesecake for chocoholics!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make - this cheesecake is simple to prepare with only a few ingredients.
• Smooth and creamy cheesecake - the filling is so super creamy and smooth. It is not heavy nor dense.
• White chocolate cheesecake - white chocolate adds creamy notes through its milk powder content. It's what enhances the "cream" part of the "strawberries & cream".
• Fresh strawberry swirl - the white chocolate cheesecake is swirled with strawberry cheesecake made from a fresh strawberry compote.
• Strawberry topping - the strawberry compote for the swirl also goes on top of the cheesecake and makes it so special!

INGREDIENTS

• Cream cheese - you will need brick cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the vanilla shines. Bonus points if you use extra fine (caster) sugar which will create an even silkier texture.
• Vanilla extract - vanilla is the main flavor alongside the fruity strawberries, so use high quality vanilla. I prefer this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Eggs - three whole eggs will set the filling into a silky smooth custard. After all, cheesecake is essentially a baked cheese custard!
• White chocolate - make sure you use pure white chocolate which has cocoa butter as the only fat on the ingredient list.
• Strawberries - fresh strawberries are certainly ideal to make the strawberry compote. This compote will be used to make the strawberry swirl cheesecake and also the topping.
• Cream - you will need full fat heavy whipping cream with 35% milkfat content to make the Chantilly cream on top of the cheesecake.
• Yogurt - use full fat Greek yogurt for this recipe. You can also use sour cream.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the strawberry compote. Combine chopped strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened but not mushy. Stir together corn starch and lemon juice in a small bowl to make a slurry and then stir it into the strawberries. Return to medium heat and cook until it just starts to boil and thickens right up.
• STEP 2). Make the crust. Place graham crackers and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. You can also crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with the bottom of heavy pot or a rolling pan and then mix them together with the sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Tip the mixture out into your prepared baking pan and press it evenly over the base and about 1-inch up the sides of the pan and bake.
• STEP 3). Make the filling. Beat soft cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed until very smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30-45 seconds. Do not over-beat because large bubbles will cause the cheesecake to crack during baking and cooling.
• STEP 4). Mix in eggs. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so that the batter is smooth before you add the next egg. Mix in melted white chocolate, then mix in yogurt and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary to ensure there are no lumps.
• STEP 5). Make the strawberry swirl. Transfer 1 cup of cheesecake batter to a clean bowl and stir in the reserved strawberry puree.
• STEP 6). Swirl the batters. Pour the vanilla cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust, spreading it out evenly and popping any air bubbles that you see. Gently spoon the strawberry batter on top and then very gently swirl it in with a small spoon, lifting up some of the vanilla batter so that you get defined swirls and the strawberry batter reaches into the middle of the cheesecake. Also, don't swirl too much or it will fade into the batter and don't go too deep or you will disturb the crust.

• STEP 7). Bake. Carefully place cheesecake on a rimmed baking tray large enough to contain it and place it in the oven. Pour boiling water into the baking sheet to come about ½-inch up the sides of the springform pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until set around the edges but still very wobbly in the middle. Turn the oven off and leave it in for another 15-20 minutes without opening the oven. Don't try to check on it as all the heat will escape the oven. It is ready when the filling is set but the center is just slightly wobbly or jiggles when the pan is shaken.
• STEP 8). Cool. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides and then remove sides of pan. Let cake cool completely.
• STEP 9). Make the topping. Place heavy whipping cream and sugar in a medium bowl and beat or whisk until it holds soft peaks. Add vanilla and mix it through, beating a few more seconds until it reaches almost firm peaks so it is easier to pipe. Fill a piping bag and pipe it onto the cheesecake around the edges. Spoon the chilled strawberry compote into the middle and keep refrigerated before serving.
• STEP 10). Chill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to eat, slice with a hot dry knife and wipe the knife clean between each slice.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Use room temperature ingredients. This is so important! Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 2 hours prior to baking so it is soft. Also make sure your eggs are at room temperature since a cold egg will not incorporate smoothly into the cream cheese leaving you with a lumpy batter.
• Blend the cream cheese with sugar FIRST. You need to beat the cream cheese so it is smooth, then add the sugar. The sugar crystals will tear through the cheese and break it down so it is creamy. You'll notice that once it is well combined, it will turn glossy. This is a sign that the sugar has bound the moisture in the cream cheese.
• Add the egg only AFTER the sugar is blended. If you add the egg before the sugar, it will most likely leave you with a lumpy batter. That's because eggs have a very high moisture content and it will be difficult to blend smoothly unless there is sugar present to bind the water.
• Gently tap the pan on the counter and then pop any air bubbles that come to the surface before baking. Air bubbles will cause cheesecake to crack.

• Gentle baking. To ensure the filling is extra silky smooth, it is important bake these gently at a slightly lower than moderate temperature.
• Water bath is optional. If having no cracks is important to you, then you can use a water bath for extra insurance. To do this, wrap the base of the pan with a double layer of foil so the foil comes up to the top of the pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and then pour about ½-inch of boiling water into the base of the baking sheet right before baking. The hot water will create steam in the oven to prevent the cheesecake from drying out.
• Do not over-bake. Cheesecake is ready when the edges are set but the center jiggles just slightly. It will continue to set with the residual heat of the pan as it cools. Keep an eye on the baking time. Set a timer for the first time stated in the recipe and check for the jiggle. If it is still wet then set the timer for another 2 minutes and keep checking.
• Do not over-beat. Over-mixing or mixing at a very high speed will incorporate too much air into the mixture. Large bubbles will cause the cheesecake to crack during baking and cooling.
• Chill for at least 2 hours. This is actually one of the most important steps of making cheesecake! Let it cool completely at room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or even overnight. This time lets the proteins set to make a smooth custard gel and will give you the best texture.

RECIPE FAQ

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Video

Strawberries & Cream Cheesecake

Christina Marsigliese

Silky smooth and creamy white chocolate cheesecake swirled with fresh strawberry cheesecake, topped with fresh whipped cream and juicy strawberry compote.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  

Strawberry compote:

• 1 lb (454g) fresh strawberries (3 ½ - 4 cups) hulled, halved or quartered depending on size
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (8g) corn starch
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice

Crust:

• 1 ⅓ cups (160g) graham cracker crumbs from about 24 individual squares
• 2 tablespoon (30g) packed dark brown sugar
• 5 tablespoon (70g) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake filling:

• 18 oz (500g) brick cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 oz (85g) pure white chocolate
• ½ cup (120ml) full fat Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) pureed Strawberry Compote

Whipped cream topping:

• 1 cup (237ml) cold 35% whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Make the strawberry compote. Combine chopped strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened but not mushy. Turn of heat. Stir together corn starch and lemon juice in a small bowl to make a slurry and then stir it into the strawberries. Return to medium heat and cook until it just starts to boil and thickens right up. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Remove a heaped ½ cup of strawberry compote and puree until smooth - you will use this to make the strawberry swirl in the cheesecake.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round non-stick springform pan with a round of parchment paper and then wrap the outside base of the pan with two large sheets of aluminum foil. This will prevent water from getting in when you bake it in a water bath.
• Make the crust. Place graham crackers and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. You can also crush the graham crackers in a resealable bag with the bottom of heavy pot or a rolling pan and then mix them together with the sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Tip the mixture out into your prepared baking pan and press it evenly over the base and about 1-inch up the sides of the pan.
• Bake the crust for 10 minutes until lightly golden and feels dry. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bring a kettle to the boil for the water bath.
• Make the filling. Beat soft cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed until very smooth. Add sugar and beat until smooth and creamy, about 30-45 seconds. Do not over-beat because large bubbles will cause the cheesecake to crack during baking and cooling. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so that the batter is smooth before you add the next egg. Mix in melted white chocolate, then mix in yogurt and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary to ensure there are no lumps. Transfer 1 cup of cheesecake batter to a clean bowl and stir in the reserved strawberry puree.
• Pour the vanilla cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust, spreading it out evenly and popping any air bubbles that you see. Gently spoon the strawberry batter on top and then very gently swirl it in with a small spoon, lifting up some of the vanilla batter so that you get defined swirls and the strawberry batter reaches into the middle of the cheesecake. Also, don't swirl too much or it will fade into the batter and don't go too deep or you will disturb the crust.
• Carefully place cheesecake on a rimmed baking tray large enough to contain it and place it in the oven. Pour boiling water into the baking sheet to come about ½-inch up the sides of the springform pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until set around the edges but still very wobbly in the middle. Turn the oven off and leave it in for another 15-20 minutes without opening the oven. Don't try to check on it as all the heat will escape the oven. It is ready when the filling is set but the center is just slightly wobbly or jiggles when the pan is shaken. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides and then remove sides of pan.
• Let the cheesecake cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Make the cream topping. Place heavy whipping cream and sugar in a medium bowl and beat or whisk until it holds soft peaks. Add vanilla and mix it through, beating a few more seconds until it reaches almost firm peaks so it is easier to pipe. Fill a piping bag and pipe it onto the chilled cheesecake around the edges. Spoon the chilled strawberry compote into the middle and keep refrigerated before serving.