New York Style Cheesecake with Blueberry or Strawberry Topping

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons AP flour
• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Blueberry or Strawberry Sauce
• 3 pints strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon brandy

Method

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Butter a 9" springform pan Combine crumbs with butter and sugar and press into bottom of pan. Bake until golden about 8 minutes. Cool. Butter the sides of the pan.
• Increase oven to 500F.
• In an electric mixer bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, zests and vanilla beating with the paddle until light and creamy. Add flour and eggs one at a time. Add sour cream and mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes.
• In an electric oven, turn the oven off. In a gas oven, lower to temperature to 200F. Don't open the oven and bake for 1 hour more. Cook the cake on a cooling rack and then refrigerate for several hours before serving.
• Strawberry Sauce: Combine all ingredients and cook about 10 minutes. Cool completely before topping cheesecake with sauce.
• Blueberry Sauce:
• 1 1/2 cups sugar; 3 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 1/2 cups water; 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice; 2 tbsp. Grand Marnier; 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest; 1 1/2 cups blueberries; 1 1/2 tbsp. butter.

Notes

• Combine everything to up to and including the orange zest. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the blueberries and cook an additional 5 minutes or so. Add butter and stir until melted. Cool completely until pouring over cheesecake.SOURCE: Adapted from Food Network