Under the cake dome Sunday #11: White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

St. Valentine's Day is just around the corner and so for today's What's under the cake dome Sunday #11 post, I decided to make the Mister a Valentine's Day White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.

 I like to play with my food just as much as the next big kid, so instead of swirling the raspberry sauce to create a marble top effect, I pulled the raspberry sauce into three heart shapes. 

And just so you know a bit about the behind the scenes posts of my Cake dome Sunday desserts, the Mister gets very frustrated with me that he has to wait until I photograph HIS dessert.  It has become a running joke in our house about the time period behind making HIS dessert and HIS actually first bite.  For this cheesecake, he sighed a very loud "MMMMMmmmmmmmmmm" when he finally got his first bite and declared this "Deeeeeeeeelicious!"

 

Let's get started.  First we'll make the chocolate cookie crumb crust.

Just a few simple ingredients.  Combine them in a bowl.

Then press the crumbs in the bottom of a springform pan. 

Now we're ready to make the raspberry filling.  Just four ingredients.

Combine the ingredients for the raspberry filling in a saucepan on the stove.

Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens.

Now for the cream cheese part.  In a separate bowl combine the ingredients and beat.

Time to melt the white chocolate with some cream in the top of a double boiler.

Mmmmm...from solid squares of white chocolate to creamy, smooth in just a very short time.

Now to combine the white chocolate/cream mixture and vanilla with the cream cheese mixture.

Pour half of the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate cookie crumb crust.

It will look like this.

Now for some yummy, colorful, delicious raspberry filling.  Just spoon on the filling reserving three good sized tablespoons full for the top.  Don't worry that it doesn't cover the cream cheese. 

Now pour the remaining cream cheese over the raspberry center of the cheesecake.

Now we're ready for the reserved raspberry.  You can spoon on three dabs and swirl with a knife for a marbled effect, but since it is almost Valentine's Day I decided to shape the three dabs of raspberry into heart shapes using a wooden skewer stick to "pull" the filling into the heart shape.

Yippee!  It worked!  Not too bad for a first try, if I do say so myself!  Time to pop this cheesecake in the oven to bake.  Then, once baked, you'll have to find another activity to entertain yourself because the cheesecake must chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours!  Yep!  It is a long wait but you'll be happy you did.

 

Enjoy!!

 

Here is the recipe:

 

White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted 

 

1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

 

2 cups  of white chocolate chips OR 12 squares of baking white chocolate  (either will work)

1/2 cup cream

 

3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese that you've allowed to soften to room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Directions:

1. Mix together the cookie crumbs, 3 Tblsp. sugar and melted butter in a bowl.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
2. Combine the raspberries, 2 Tblsp. sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Continue boiling for 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.  If you do not want raspberry seeds in your cheesecake now is the time to strain through a mesh to remove the seeds.  The seeds don't bother me so I didn't strain them.
3. Using a double boiler or a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the white chocolate with the cream, stirring until smooth.  Do not overheat this. 
4. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar until it is smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Now blend in the melted white chocolate/cream mixture and the vanilla.
5. Pour 1/2 of the cream cheese batter over the crust.  Spoon on all but three heaping tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over the batter.  Pour the remaining cheesecake batter over the raspberry in the pan and then spoon three tablespoons of the reserved raspberry sauce on the top.  You can swirl the raspberry sauce topping to create a marbled effect or shape the dollops into a heartshape.
6. In a preheated 325 degree F oven (165 degrees C) bake the cheesecake for 55 to 60 minutes, or just until the filling is set.  Cool to room temperature and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before removing the cheesecake from the springform pan.  Garnish with raspberries and enjoy!

Until next time,

Cheers!

 

Jennifer