Mouth-Watering Strawberry or Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 1/2 cups fine vanilla cookie crumbs
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or English walnuts
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

• 24 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature) (do not use fat-free cream cheese)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 envelope (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatine
• 4 jumbo eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups firm ripe fresh strawberries, thinly sliced, or whole fresh raspberries, stems removed (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine crumbs, nuts, and melted butter, mixing well with a pastry blender. Press crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the side of a 9 inch springform pan.
3. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes.
4. Cool and set aside.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
7. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, and gelatine, beating well at low speed of an electric mixer after each addition.
8. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
9. Stir in sour cream and vanilla extract. Spoon batter into cool baked crust.
10. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Do not open oven door.
11. Turn off oven, door closed, allowing cake to remain in oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Do not open oven door.
12. Thoroughly cool cheesecake on a wire rack. Cheesecake may be served at room temperature or chilled.
13. Store cheesecake, loosely covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.
14. Garnish top of cake with sliced strawberries or whole raspberries before serving.

Notes

4th of July Cheesecake: Garnish top of cheesecake with fresh blueberries, sliced fresh strawberries or whole fresh raspberries, and very small decorative American flags.