My Mom's Cheesecake

suz1230
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks

fruit decorated Cheesecake This cheesecake is a little bit different from many others I've had over the years. It has layers that you see when you cut into it. There's a few cheesecakes with the sour cream added on top, but I've not tasted or seen any like this one; it is special. Everyone over the years has just enjoyed it to the max.

Years ago, I tweaked my mom's cheesecake recipe a bit (only by adding the fruit) on top, as that makes it so colorful and yummy. Sometimes I call it my "California Cheesecake", though I live in Vegas. I'm from CA.

It's so creamy dreamy, and every bite is absolutely delicious. It takes a bit of time to make, but this is one of those things that's worth every minute to make, for every yummy bite later.

Prep Time: 45 min approx

Cook Time: 45 min

Total Time: 1.5-2 hrs

Yield: 8

Source: Thanks to my mom and her cooking growing up!

Ingredients:

11 graham crackers
1/3 cup butter
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar
2 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
2 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
1.5 cup sour cream
1/4 packette plain gelatin
1 sliced kiwi
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 small handful blueberries
1/2 small basket strawberries

Steps:

First we want to get our cream cheese and butter room temperature so it's easier to mix. That is very important.

Next take your 11 graham crackers, and either use a rolling pin, a glass, or put them in a food processor. Only zapping them intermittently, to just get them crumbly. Try and get the crumbles all the about the same size.

Then add 3 Tbsp. of sugar and 1/3 cup of very softened butter. Mix well. This works best actually with your fingers to thoroughly mix it up.

Take your well mixed up gram crackers and put that right into the middle of your spring pan. Then gently spread the cracker mixture around evenly, and start building it up the sides of the spring pan. Make sure you don't press the sides too hard, or the crust will be very hard after it's cooked. This can take the most time; getting those gram crackers to stay put on the sides with gentle pressure.

Then pat down the bottom, and now you're ready to put this in the oven at 350F (pre-heated) on center rack for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, slightly beat the 2 eggs. Add your slightly beaten eggs to a bowl with your softened cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar.

Mix thoroughly by hand or mixer. If using a mixer, make sure to keep it on the lowest speed, as you don't want it whipped or it will split on top when it cooks.

Gently pour your center filling into your formed crust. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit until the top layer is done.

Take the cheesecake out of the oven to prepare the topping, and leave the oven temp at 350F until we put it back into the oven, then we'll turn it up a bit.

Now for the top layer. In a bowl put 1 and 1/2 cups sour cream, 3 Tbsp spoons of sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. Mix well.

Then very carefully spread on top of the baked bottom layer. Turn the oven up to 450F and put it back in the oven and bake for 7 min, then remove from oven. About 10-20 min after removing from oven, very carefully open the latch on your spring pan, and remove the outer rim. We'll be placing the fruit on the cheesecake when it's completely cooled, in about an hour.

Next wash and slice your strawberries in half. Slice your kiwi thinly. Drain your mandarin oranges, and wash your blueberries, then allow all to dry off on paper towels, we don't want them too juicy or wet on top of the cheesecake.

Use only a few tsp. of the plain gelatin with a tsp or two of water, mix in a separate small bowl. This is going to be the glue that holds the strawberries in place on top.
Next we're going to place the strawberry halves around the outside of the cheesecake, using a tooth pick we're going to dip the back (cut part) of each strawberry into our "glue", the gelatin and water. When you've gotten the strawberries done, we'll go to the next step.

The Kiwi doesn't need the gelatin glue, as they'll just lay on top just fine. Then add your mandarin oranges in a more center circle, and then your blueberries in the middle and you're done and ready to serve! Enjoy.

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attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

March 19, 20190 found this helpful

Suz, this is gorgeous and looks so INCREDIBLY delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this, as you know I'm going to give it a try. What's fantastic is that this is exactly EXACTLY my mother's favourite type of cake. She's very picky about the ones we get from bakeries, and prefers them homemade, yet I don't think we have made one from scratch in maybe a decade? So yours is on our to-do list. Here is a photo of Mum at her most recent birthday with a cake very similar to yours here! Thank you again for sharing!

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suz1230
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks

March 19, 20190 found this helpful

Attosa, first, I've got to say I am absolutely thrilled you're going to make this cheesecake, and thrilled that it's your moms favorite cake too - (it's my moms favorite also) isn't that something!

I'm tickled also to see a cheesecake decorated almost with the exact same fruit on it in your beautiful family picture.

Gosh, your mom could pass for your sister, hehehe she's very pretty and so young looking, and now I see where you get your beautiful looks from too!

I really do think you and your family will love this cheesecake recipe, and I'm beyond happy to share it, and that you're going to make it, I can't wait, hahaha

And Attosa, thank you for sharing your warm and beautiful picture of your family and you :) . . . .and the cheesecake hehe

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attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

March 26, 20190 found this helpful

All I have to say is I'm forwarding this to mum again just so she can be super tickled by your kind comment above :D Hahaha you are lovely! We cannot wait to try this!

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Carolyn Marie B.

March 19, 20190 found this helpful

Where Im from we use sugar cookie dough for the bottom crust and call it fruit pizza!

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