240g or 2cupscookie crumbsdigestives, graham or oreos with the cream scraped
2tablespoonspowdered sugar
113g or 1 stickunsalted or salted butter
Filling:
454g or two bricks cream cheese
210g or 1cupgranulated sugar
60g or ¼cuplabneh or sour cream
250g or 1cuproasted strawberry puree(see instructions for how to make)
2large eggs
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
½teaspoonfine sea salt
2tablespoonsall purpose flour
Instructions
Make the strawberry puree
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place about 24 oz strawberries in a 13 x 9” cake pan and roast for 30-45 minutes, stirring halfway, until the berries have released their juices and the water has evaporated (should still be lots of liquid, don’t let it fully evaporate or let the berries burn). Puree the berries in a food processor and if you don't want seeds, pour through a mesh sieve. Measure out 1 cup or 250g. This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
Make the crust
Line a 8×8” metal cake pan with two parchment slings (not glass, not ceramic). If you are using a round pan to make it press one sheet of parchment into the center and use metal clips to hold it in place. Do not use a springform pan here.
Stir together the cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides, using a measuring cup to pack it in. Bake it for 10 minutes at 350 F to get it to set. Let it cool before you begin making the filling.
Make the strawberry filling
Using stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until very smooth, stirring and scraping down to ensure no bits remain. Add the salt, vanilla and sour cream and mix to combine.
Add the strawberry puree, saving a few tablespoons for the top swirl. Add the eggs and flour and mix until just combined – don’t over do this step, be as careful as you can so as not to overmix the eggs.
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Pour the filling through a fine mesh sieve over the crust (this will get rid of any lumps). Add teaspoons of the remaining strawberry puree in dollops on top. Swirl with a butterknife or an offset spatula.
Place the pan in a 13×9” cake pan and surround it with hot water (the water should come up to the level of the cheesecake). Bake the cheesecake for 45-60 minutes until you can shake the pan and the cheesecake only jiggles a bit in the center. Shut the oven off but prop open the door. Let the cheesecake cool for at least 30 minutes in the cooling oven.
Refrigerate overnight and serve the next day. Store in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Color will depend on your berries: if your berries are very dark, you'll have a bright pink pie. If your berries are white inside, it will be very pale. In these cases I like to add some strawberry powder to darken the color and intensify the berry flavor. This can also be made in an 8 or 9" round cake pan: grease and line it with parchment paper (use metal clips to hold the paper in place). The bake time will need to be a bit longer, aim for 1 hour 15. Do NOT use a springform pan unless you have a fail proof way of sealing it for the water bath.