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Strawberry Cheesecake with Olive Oil Crust

Yields8 ServingsPrep Time45 minsCook Time35 minsTotal Time1 hr 20 mins

This strawberry cheesecake with olive oil crust will be the showstopper of your Christmas and holiday parties. We know there's a thousand recipes for cheesecake out there, but we guarantee ours is the best (and the prettiest!).

Strawberry Cheesecake with Olive Oil Crust

For Crust:
 1 sleeve of graham crackers
 ½ cup walnuts or pecans
 ¼ cup granulated sugar
 3 tbsp Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For the Filling First layer:
 1 lb cream cheese (or 2 - 225 g packages), at room temperature
 ½ cup cup sugar
 3 large eggs
 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Second Layer:
 1 pt sour cream
 ¼ cup sugar
 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Topping:
 10-12 strawberries
 4 oz white chocolate
 1 strawberry preserves
 Vanilla meringues (we used store bought – holiday prep is hard enough without having to make meringues!)
Equipment:
 Springform pan 9”
1

First preheat your oven to 375° F.

For the Crust:
2

Line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper.

3

Add the nuts to a food process and pulse to roughly chop them.

4

Add the graham crackers, sugars and olive oil into the food processor and pulse until a loose dough starts to form. Turn the dough out onto a work surface.

5

Press the dough evenly into the only the bottom of the springform pan.

For the filling:
6

In the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor, mix the cream cheese and sugar together on medium to medium-high speed.

7

Once fully combined, add the vanilla and one egg. Blend until smooth and the egg is fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl down with a spatula from time to time if necessary.

8

Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly each time.

9

Pour the mixture over the crust in the springform pan. Gently tap the pan to release any air bubbles.

10

Bake for 25 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles when gently shaken. Then, allow it to cool for 15 minutes.

11

Increase the temperature of the oven to 450°F.

12

While the cheesecake is cooling, whisk the ingredients for the second layer — the sour cream, sugar and vanilla together until smooth.

13

Pour this topping over the first layer and smooth it out with a spatula.

14

Place the cake back in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

15

You can place the cake in the refrigerator overnight to set.

For the topping:
16

Wash and dry the strawberries. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. This is where you will place the dipped strawberries to dry. The chocolate will not stick to the paper.

17

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. Once melted, dip the strawberries in the chocolate and place them on the lined baking sheet. Once all the strawberries have been dipped, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove them from the freezer to use as topping.

18

Once the cake is cooled, spoon the jam onto the top of the cake and spread it into a thin layer that reaches almost — but not quite — to the edges of the cake.

19

Place the meringues and white chocolate covered strawberries on top of the jam.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 8