White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

My Valentine loves cheesecake.

I love my Valentine.

So, this is {one} of my gifts to him. It was so yummy. I can't begin to tell you. Totally delicious.

Now before you turn off from reading because you're thinking, "Baked cheesecake? Too much. Too hard."

WAIT! You can do this. I promise. I'm always honest here. So, yes...there were quite a few dishes to wash. But it really wasn't all that difficult. It's SO yummy. 

Oh one other warning, you HAVE to plan ahead on this one, because it needs to refrigerate for a long time. The recipe says 8 hours, but I only did 5 and it was still divine! Enjoy!

{WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE} 

click here for a printable version of this recipe

1 c. chocolate cookie crumbs (blend chocolate cookies, like Oreos, in a blender)

3 T. white sugar

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen raspberries

2 T. white sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 c. water

2 c. white chocolate chips

1/2 c. half-and-half cream

3 (8-oz.) pkgs cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. white sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. 

In a saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer to remove seeds. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth. {You can also do this in the microwave, in 30-second increments, stirring in between.}

In a large bowl, mix, with hand mixer, cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. You should mix this for a while, to be sure you have a creamy cheesecake. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Continue to blend for a few minutes. 

Pour half of the batter over the chocolate crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect. 

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Just give the pan a jiggle to see if it's uniform in it's "jiggleness." Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.