Fresh Strawberry Topped Cheesecake

 

2

cups finely crushed vanilla wafer cookies (about 55 cookies)

1/4

cup butter or margarine, melted

3

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

3/4

cup sugar

3

eggs

1

cup whipping cream

2

tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

quart fresh strawberries, sliced in half lengthwise (3 cups)

1/2

cup glaze for strawberries (from 13.5 oz container)

• 1 Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press crust mixture on bottom and 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake crust 6 to 8 minutes or until set.
• 2 In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. On low, beat in whipping cream, flour and vanilla until smooth. Pour over crust.
• 3 Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.
• 4 Just before serving, run metal spatula around edge of pan; carefully remove foil and side of pan. In medium bowl, mix together strawberries and glaze. Arrange strawberries on top of cheesecake.