Raspberry Cheesecake

For Christopher's birthday, there's really only one clear cut ask. All he wants is a "really dank" birthday dessert, preferably with fruit.

He is but a simple man.

So I took to the good book, a.k.a. the internet, and found a recipe from Ina Gartner that reflected one of my Grandma's old favorites, and fashioned us a little old school cheesecake. It was, simply put, one of the most delicious things ever created.

If you have a 9 inch springform pan (I bought mine from Target for around $10), a metric shit ton of cream cheese, and about six hours on your hands, do I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU!

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from a box is perfectly fine)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted in the microwave

Filling:

• 4 packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Topping:

• 1 cup seedless raspberry jelly (strawberry can be substituted also)
• 2 half-pints fresh raspberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust: combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter. Pour into 9-inch springform pan (these are the ones with a little latch you can release to remove the sides - whoever invented this is a Goddamn genius). Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the side. Bake for 8 minutes at 350 and cool.

Raise the temperature to 450 degrees.

For the filling: cream the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl on high speed until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs and additional yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the crust.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Then, turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. When your timer goes off, turn the oven off and open the door. Leave the cake in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes.

At this time, feel free to bask in the warm, cheese-cakey glow of the hot open oven and reflect on your life.

After 30 minutes, remove the cake from the oven and rest it at room temperature for 2 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap with foil and refrigerate at least four hours, but ideally overnight.

After refrigerating, remove the cake and make the topping by melting the jelly in a pan over LOW, really freaking low, heat. Add the fresh raspberries until coated with the mixture. Turn off the heat.

Now, it's time for you to marvel at the glory that is the springform pan. Remove the cake from the pan by gently running a knife around the outside of the cake, trying to disrupt it as little as possible. Pop the latch open and lift off the sides, and voila. MAGIC. 

 Now, pour the topping over the cake, arranging the berries in the center. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orrrrr smash your face into it immediately, trying to absorb as much of it through your pores as you possibly can. I promise you, it's that good.

she ain't too purty. but damn was she tasty.

Til next time, forkers.