I have been making cheesecake for years and never found a keeper recipe until now. One major problem with some cheesecake recipes is that it’s easy to over cook them and when cooled, cracks develop in the middle. But this is an easy recipe and I have two tips, get a 9-inch springform pan and use a meat thermometer to test when the cheesecake is done baking. Another plus is that this recipe doesn’t require a water bath in the oven. Also, other recipes use flour, but this is a lighter version with no flour. I have found this recipe for raspberry cheesecake to be foolproof. And you don’t have to use raspberries for the topping sauce as any other berry, such as blueberries or strawberries, works as well!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. In a 9-inch springform pan, press the graham cracker crust mixture on the bottom and up the sides about an inch. Set aside.
For the filling, in the bowl let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Add the sugar and mix together. Then add the eggs and grand marnier and mix until most of the lumps are gone. Pour over the graham cracker crust. Bake for about 40 minutes on a lined sheet pan. This is the big tip. While backing, periodically use a meat thermometer to see when the outside of the cheesecake filling reaches 165-170 degrees F. This is when the baking time is done. The center will look wet and a little loose. But that is okay because the cheese and eggs in the center will continue to setup when you remove from the oven. Let the cheesecake cool completely.
For the topping, put the raspberries* in a pot with the sugar and water. Cook on high and stir until the berries have broken down into a sauce. Add the cornstarch one tablespoon at a time to thicken the sauce to your liking. Stir on medium heat for a few minutes while the sauce thickens. Remove from the burner, add the vanilla and let it cool. When the cheesecake has cooled and is separated from the sides of the springform pan, release the sides of the pan. Serve slices of the cheesecake with some fresh berries and the raspberry* sauce. This serves 8-12.
*I was going to find a way to remove the raspberry seeds before making a sauce, when I read how the seeds have health benefits. So, I decided to leave them in the recipe. The seeds are a healthy source of dietary fiber, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. In a 9-inch springform pan, press the graham cracker crust mixture on the bottom and up the sides about an inch. Set aside.
For the filling, in the bowl let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Add the sugar and mix together. Then add the eggs and grand marnier and mix until most of the lumps are gone. Pour over the graham cracker crust. Bake for about 40 minutes on a lined sheet pan. This is the big tip. While backing, periodically use a meat thermometer to see when the outside of the cheesecake filling reaches 165-170 degrees F. This is when the baking time is done. The center will look wet and a little loose. But that is okay because the cheese and eggs in the center will continue to setup when you remove from the oven. Let the cheesecake cool completely.
For the topping, put the raspberries* in a pot with the sugar and water. Cook on high and stir until the berries have broken down into a sauce. Add the cornstarch one tablespoon at a time to thicken the sauce to your liking. Stir on medium heat for a few minutes while the sauce thickens. Remove from the burner, add the vanilla and let it cool. When the cheesecake has cooled and is separated from the sides of the springform pan, release the sides of the pan. Serve slices of the cheesecake with some fresh berries and the raspberry* sauce. This serves 8-12.
*I was going to find a way to remove the raspberry seeds before making a sauce, when I read how the seeds have health benefits. So, I decided to leave them in the recipe. The seeds are a healthy source of dietary fiber, essential fatty acids and antioxidants.