Categories: Dessert: Skyscraper Cheesecakes

Ingredients

• FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
• 10 oz. (about 1 cup) Dry pack, frozen whole strawberries, unsweetened, not in syrup, thawed and drained well
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• three 8 oz packages cream cheese, soft
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 to 4 drops red food coloring (optional)
• FOR THE SPONGE CAKE (2 LAYERS):
• 2/3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 extra-large eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
• TO ASSEMBLE AND FROST:
• 2 quarts fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon unflavored granulated gelatin
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 quart heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. eheat the oven to 350. Generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9 inch spring form pan and two 9 inch round layer cake pans.Wrap the outside of the spring form pan in foil, covering bottom and extending all the way up the sides. VERY IMPORTANT: Line the bottom of all three pans with parchment or wax paper. (do not let the paper come up the sides).

2. 2 Pulse the thawed strawberries in your food processor until smooth (you need 3/4 cup puree). Stir in the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and set aside. It will thicken slightly as it stands.

3. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix! Gently fold in the strawberry puree, plus the food coloring if you wish. (use just enough that the batter is slightly pink).

4. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the spring form pan. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool for 2 hours (just walk away-dont touch it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refridgerate until completely cold, preferably overnight, or at least 4 hours.

5. While the cheesecake is cooling, make the sponge cake layers. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 and that the water bath has been removed. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Beat in the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 Tablespoons of sugar and beat until thick yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.

6. Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters very well. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into a bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold about 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Divide the batter evenly between the two layer cake pans and bake until golden (not wet or sticky) and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, about 12 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes then turn them onto the rack and peel of paper. Let cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night or until ready to assemble the cake.

7. On the day you plan to assemble the cake, hull one quart of the strawberries, then cut them into half inch pieces. Reserve the remaining berries for decorating the cake.

8. Make the frosting. Place gelatin in a heat proof measuring cup and add cod water. Let stand until it swells and thickens. Cook in microwave on high for about 30 seconds, until clear and completely melted. In a medium sized bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer on high until it thickens and soft peaks begin to form. With the mixer still running, add the sugar and beat just until the cream stands up in peaks. Beat in vanilla, then add the gelatin. Refrigerate cream for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than an hour in two bowls: two cups in one bowl for piping decorations on top and the remainder in a second larger bowl for frosting the cake. Meanwhile, remove the frozen strawberry cheesecake from the freezer and let stand at room temp for 10 minutes.

9. Place one layer of sponge cake, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread evenly with at thin layer of whipped cream frosting from the large bowl and half the strawberry pieces. Release and remove the ring of the spring form, Then remove the frozen cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. Peel away the paper liner and place top side down on top on the frosted bottom layer. Press the cheesecake down gently, just enough so the two layer stick together but not enough for the filling to come out the sides. Top the cheesecake layer with some more whipped cream from the large bowl, and sprinkle evenly with remaining strawberry pieces. Top with the second layer of sponge cake, top side up. Frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining whipped cream from large bowl.

10. . To decorate, hull the remaining quart of strawberries and cut them in half, from top to tip. Place a ring of berries around the bottom edge of the cake, tip ends up. Using 5 or 6 berry halves, make a star in the center of the cake, pointing the tips of the berries away from the center. Fit a pastry bag with a medium closed star tip (#35) or medium open star tip (#32) and fill with the cream from the small bowl. Pipe shells or rosettes around the top edge of the cake and make a large rosette on top of the strawberry pieces.

11. . Refrigerate until serving time (it takes 2 hours for the cheesecake to thaw enough to easily slice). Slice the cold cake with a sharp straight edged knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate. DO not freeze.

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