White Chocolate Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. This takes about an hour to prepare but it must cool and then chill in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. Prepare the night before or on the morning of the day you wish to serve this dessert.
Crust:
Process 2T sugar, a pinch of salt, 4 chocolate and 4 regular graham crackers (whole sheets) in a food processor. After you have a finely ground consistency add 3T melted butter to the processor and pulse. Press into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan.
Sauce:
10-14 oz fruit of your choice. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries all work well. If necessary frozen berries are ok. Pulse in a food processor until smooth. Add 2T fruit preserves of the same flavor as the fruit you choose for the sauce. Transfer to a sauce pan. Add 3T sugar, the juice of half a lemon and simmer. Add 2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T water and whisk until thickened a little bit. Chill in the refrigerator.
Cheesecake:
Melt 8 oz chopped white chocolate in a double boiler. Blend 16 oz. cream cheese and 3/4c sugar in a mixer. Add 3 eggs separately, beating well after each egg is added. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and the juice of ½ a lemon. Pour in melted chocolate and mix until combined well. Pour into spring form pan lined with the crust. Drizzle a small amount of the chilled fruit sauce (about 1/3 – 1/3 cup over the top and swirl with a toothpick so it appears marbled. Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake 60-80 minutes at 300 degrees. The cake is done when the edges set and puff slightly but the center is still somewhat jiggly. Crack the oven door and turn off the heat. Place a wooden spoon to prop open door and cool in the oven gradually for an hour. Then remove and cool on a wire rack completely.
Remove the cake from the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. To serve, drizzle some sauce on the plate, place a piece of the cheesecake on top and drizzle with more fruit sauce.
