Based on a recipe by Ina Garten of The Food Network
The Lady returned from her 2010 Wisconsin Cheese Tour with many wedges of cheese and one of those was the Raspberry Bellavitano from Sartori Foods. She bought it at Jim’s Pantry after her visit to Sartori Foods. Jim Sartori and the gang at Sartori’s treated the group to a gourmet lunch that ended with a cheesecake made using the Raspberry cheese. This variation of the fabulous Bellavitano is soaked in Raspberry Tart Ale from the New Glarus Brewery.
The Lady’s changes are in bold italics. For the original Ina Garten recipe, please click here.
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
½ pound of Sartori Foods’ Raspberry Bellavitano Cheese, at room temperature (I cut into small pieces instead of shredding. When mixed with cream cheese made tiny pellets which I think actually worked out better than shredding in terms of texture.)
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
1 cup Smuckers’ Red Raspberry Just Fruit Spread
1 Pints fresh raspberries – bought from Prairie Creek Farm at Portland Farmers’ Market
½ Cup Bittersweet Chocolate Chips melted with a couple splashes of Half n Half to thin them a bit
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 10-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler and add a little half n half to thin it for drizzling over the cake. While still warm, drizzle over the cake.
Heat the Smuckers and drizzle it over cake as well.
Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
I put the springform pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.
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