Michael Symon Cheesecake

By SMorrissey

Ingredients

• For the Crust:
• 2 cups Graham Crackers (ground)
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted)
• pinch Salt
• For the Filling:
• 24 ounces Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 5 large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 10 ounces Strawberry Preserves (to serve)

Details

Adapted from abc.go.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the Crust:
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the pretzels, graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Add a pinch of salt and then press into the bottom of a 13x9 clear glass baking dish. Set aside while you make your filling.

For the Filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened cream cheese on medium speed, scraping the sides and the beater occasionally. Next, add the sour cream and continue to mix until combined. Next, add the sugar and continue to mix until combined. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing in after each addition. Add the vanilla. Pour the filling over the crust and bake for 1 hour or until the center is no longer jiggly.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let sit for a few minutes while you prepare the jam. In a small sauce pot-melt the strawberry jam over low heat. When it is melted, strain in to another bowl if you prefer no seeds. Pour the melted jam over the top of the cheesecake and smooth out in to an even layer. Let the cheesecake sit out to cool for another 30 minutes to an hour, then slice in to 24 squares while still warm. Refrigerate for a few hours to chill completely.