White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Please see previous post regarding cheesecake tips prior to beginning this recipe: 

http://thebitchenkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/perfecting-cheescake-10-tips-to-making.html

Graham Cracker Crust: 

2 packages (of 3 in a box) graham crackers

6 tbs. unsalted butter, melted 

6 tbs. white sugar 

Cheesecake Filling: 

4, 8ox. packages cream cheese, softened

1 c. white sugar 

4 eggs, seperated 

1 tbs. pure vanilla extract 

1 c. sour cream 

1/2 c. heavy cream 

6oz. white chocolate, melted 

Fresh Raspberry Sauce Topping: 

1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries 

1/4 c. white sugar 

1/4 c. water 

1 c. seedless raspberry jam 

1 tbs. Grand Marnier liqueur 

Fresh Berries for garnish 

White chocolate shavings for garnish

• Preheat oven to 350 and prepare your largest spring form pan as indicated in previous top "10 tips post.
• For crust, in a food processor, combine graham crackers with sugar and pulse until graham crackers are crumbly. 
• Add melted butter and pulse until mixture comes together. 
• Pat crust into the bottom of prepared spring form pan and bake 10-12 minutes or until crust begins to golden. 
• Meanwhile, heat chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat to melt. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and set aside. 
• Once crust is golden, remove crust from oven and set aside. 
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth. 
• Scrape down sides of mixer and add egg yolks one at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Add vanilla extract, sour cream and heavy cream. Mix until smooth. 
• Add melted white chocolate and mix to combine. 

• In a small, separate bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer until fluffy and peaks form. Fold egg whites into cheesecake filling. Pour filling into pan.

• Place spring form pan into roasting pan and fill pan halfway up sides with boiling water (as indicated in previous post.) 

• Bake cheesecake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Once time is up, turn off heat but do not remove cheesecake from oven. Keep cheesecake in oven for another hour but open the oven door and leave it ajar to cool gradually. 

• While cheesecake gradually cools, prepare raspberry sauce.

• In a small saucepan, heat raspberries with sugar and water over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. 

• Once boiling, reduce heat to a low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

• Pour raspberry mixture into a blender or food processor and pulse with jam and liqueuer until smooth. 

• Cool sauce prior to topping cheesecake. 

• Once cheesecake has sat in the oven for an hour with the oven door open, remove cheesecake from "water bath" and place on counter. Cool one more hour. 

• Prior to topping, touch sides of pan and ensure they are cool to the touch. If so....run a knife around the edges of the spring form pan prior to releasing the ring. 

• Using a rubber spatula, spread raspberry sauce over top of cheesecake in an even layer. If desired, spread a ring of fresh berries around the edges of cheesecake as pictured above. 

• Refrigerate cheesecake several hours or preferably overnight. 

• Prior to serving, garnish with white chocolate shavings if desired.