It's that time of year again! My annual cheesecake sacrifice for the my brother-from-another-mother, Brandon! He's a picky eater so I love it when his birthday rolls around. Cheesecake is the one sweet treat that will always get his attention. I've tried my hand at a few variations, including White Chocolate Raspberry, No-Bake Nutella with an Oreo Crumble Crust, Pumpkin Spice (a personal favorite), and Japanese Cheesecake.
I played it conservative and went with a classic and old reliable, America's Test Kitchen New York Style Cheesecake. It's tall. Decadent. Smooth. Rich. I mean really... just LOOK at this thing! Food isn't supposed to be alluring but this thing is a siren... calling you to its calorie-filled shores. It is the archetype of the perfect cheesecake. Next year I'll be sure to get a little more frisky and try something different. This year, though... if ain't broke, don't fix it!
There is ONE detail that I did add this year: a delicious strawberry glaze. Yes yes yes.... I've served this same cheesecake with whole-roasted strawberries as a topping. This glaze, however, is super legit. My husband kept asking, "what was on top of the cheesecake?" It reminded me of this frozen Sarah Lee cheesecake that my mom used to buy for special occasions. This cake used to get me in trouble. For those who know me... they won't be surprised as to why.
So uh... Little me used to eat the whole thing. The whole thing being all the strawberries and glaze.
That's right. Just the topping.
Family members would go for a slice, open the tin, and find the husk of what was once a strawberry glazed cheesecake. My bad.
So if you make this cake... try not to eat just the topping. It's a punk move. I should know.
New York Style Cheesecake
by America's Test Kitchen
Strawberry Glaze
from Barbara Bakes
1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed
1 pint small, fresh strawberries (for decoration)
3 tablespoons water
1-2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional)
Puree frozen strawberries in a small food processor or with an immersion blender. Press blended strawberries through a fine mesh strainer in to a small saucepan. Add water.
In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Stir into the puree in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened. Cool to room temperature.
Spread cooled glazed evenly over cheesecake, creating a thin layer. Arrange strawberries in a single layer on top. Drizzle any leftover glaze on top of strawberries. Store, covered, in refrigerator.