White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by spraying with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together. This should resemble damp sand.
3. Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Raspberry Filling

1. Add the frozen raspberries, water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar to a small saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until it begins to boil and thicken. Remove from the heat and use a rubber spatula to press through a fine mesh strain to remove the seeds. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.

Cheesecake

1. Add the softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more.
2. Add sugar and sour cream and mix at medium/low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix for ten more seconds.
3. Add eggs and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Scrape the bowl again.
4. Add vanilla and melted chocolate, beating until just combined. At this point, the batter should be smooth and fairly runny.
5. Using 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of your springform pan with four sheets of foil. You can use regular foil, but it may take a couple more sheets to ensure the water does not get into your pan.
6. Place the wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.
7. Add half of the cheesecake batter to the springform pan and add 4-5 tablespoons of raspberry filling over the top. Carefully add the remaining cheesecake batter to the pan and top with 3-4 more tablespoons of raspberry filling. Use the back of a knife to swirl the raspberry into the cheesecake, leaving a nice marbled pattern on top.

Bake

1. Using very hot water, add water to the baking sheet/ until there is about 1 ½ inch of water around the springform pan. Carefully move the pan to the oven with the cheesecake in the lower third to bake.
2. Bake for 1-1 ½ hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should still wobble in the center but won’t be liquid. If it seems very liquidy still, give it 15 more minutes and check it again.
3. Once the cheesecake is firm yet still wobbles, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so so it can cool down as the oven cools down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! Doing this will prevent it from cracking, as one of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.
4. Once the oven and the cheesecake have cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan. Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
5. Before serving, run a knife around the edge of the pan to ensure an easy release when the springform is removed. Serve as is or with fresh raspberries and whipped cream.