Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake with a Roasted Berry Ribbon

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dense, tangy baked cheesecake on a buttery graham crust, marbled with a thick roasted-strawberry reduction that stays a deep, glossy red instead of bleeding into pink streaks. Roasting the berries first drives off water and concentrates the flavor, so the swirl tastes like strawberry jam and holds its shape through the bake and the chill.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (or frozen, thawed and drained)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 tsp cornstarch

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheets)
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 32 oz full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature (four 8-oz blocks)
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

Instructions

1. Roast the berries: Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the halved strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar, the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment. Spread in a single layer and roast 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point, until the juices are thick, syrupy, and darkened at the edges.
2. Scrape everything, including the syrup, into a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. You should have about 1 1/4 cups. Pour into a small saucepan, whisk in the 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 to 8 minutes, until reduced to about 3/4 cup and thick enough that a spoon dragged through the bottom leaves a clear trail. Scrape into a bowl and cool completely (spread it thin on a plate and refrigerate 15 minutes to speed this up). It should be as thick as jam — this is what keeps the swirl from bleeding.
3. Reduce the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan in a double layer of heavy-duty foil, crimping it tightly up the sides so no water can seep in. Lightly butter the inside.
4. Make the crust: Stir the graham crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and melted butter until evenly damp. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides, using a flat-bottomed glass to compact it. Bake 10 minutes, then cool on a rack while you mix the filling. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
5. Lower the oven to 325°F. In a stand mixer with the paddle (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese on medium-low 2 minutes until completely smooth, scraping the bowl and paddle twice. Add the 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and beat 2 minutes more, until no grit remains.
6. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest on low until just combined. Add the eggs and the extra yolk one at a time on the lowest speed, mixing only until each disappears, about 15 seconds each. Scrape the bowl and fold twice by hand. Do not whip air into the batter — that is what causes cracks and puffing.
7. Pour about two-thirds of the batter over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Dot half the cooled strawberry reduction over it in teaspoon-size dollops. Add the remaining batter, smooth again, and dot with the rest of the reduction, reserving about 2 tablespoons if you want extra for serving.
8. Swirl with the tip of a butter knife or a skewer: make 6 to 8 slow figure-eights through the top inch of batter only, then tap the pan on the counter once to settle. Fewer, deliberate passes give clean red ribbons; over-swirling turns everything pink.
9. Set the foil-wrapped pan inside a large roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides. Bake at 325°F for 70 to 85 minutes, until the outer 2 inches are set and slightly puffed and the center 3-inch circle still jiggles like loose gelatin when you nudge the pan. An instant-read thermometer 1 inch from the center should read 150°F.
10. Turn the oven off, prop the door open a few inches, and let the cheesecake sit in the cooling oven for 1 hour. Lift it out of the water bath, remove the foil, and run a thin knife around the inside edge of the pan. Cool on a rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
11. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, before releasing the springform ring. Slice with a long thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
12. To serve, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar to soft peaks and spoon alongside each slice with sliced fresh strawberries and any reserved strawberry reduction.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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