Strawberry Cheesecake

Submitted by: Candy	Country: Canada
Category: Home/Cakes & Muffins
Quantity: 12 servings	Preparation time: 0:20 hr. Cooking time: 1:30 hr.

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup	graham cracker crumbs	250 mL
1/4 cup	firmly packed light-brown sugar	60 mL
1/4 cup	butter, melted	60 mL
Filling
1-1/2 lb	cream cheese, room temperaure, softened	680 g
1-1/4 cups	sugar	300 mL
3 tbsp	all purpose flour	45 mL
1-1/2 tsp	pure vanilla extract	7 mL
1-1/2 tsp	grated orange rind	7 mL
1/4 cup	milk	60 mL
6	eggs, room temperature	6
Strawberry topping
4 cups	fresh strawberries, washed and hulled	1 L
2/3 cup	strawberry jelly, melted	150 mL
1 tbsp	Kirsch	15 mL

Directions

Crust

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. In a bowl, toss graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and butter together. Press mixture onto bottom of 9-in/21-cm springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.

Preheat oven to 500°F/260°C.

Filling

In a large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.

Blend in flour, vanilla, orange rind and milk until mixture is smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Pour mixture over baked crumb crust in pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 250°F/120°C. Bake 1 hour longer.

Leave cake in oven, with heat turned off and door shut, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Cool on rack until room temperature, then refrigerate cake for several hours.

Strawberry topping

Arrange strawberries on top of cake.

Combine melted strawberry jelly and Kirsch, cool slightly. Brush strawberries with glaze.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.