Heart-Swirled Strawberry Cheesecake

Servings: 10

Total time: 5 hours 33 minutes, including chilling time

INGREDIENTS

For topping:
½ cup strawberry puree, 10 medium strawberries blended, plus more whole berries for garnish
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
For crust:
1 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs, about 20 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal® Baking Salt
For filling:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

For topping: Combine strawberry puree, sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain to remove seeds or lumps. Set aside.
For crust: Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round.
Combine cookie crumbs, butter and baking salt in a medium bowl. Press mixture firmly into bottom and up the sides of prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator while preparing filling.
For filling: Beat cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
Microwave until liquified and any granules are dissolved, about 10 seconds.
Let cool slightly, then whisk into the cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form in a separate medium bowl. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until combined and no streaks remain. Transfer filling to chilled crust, spreading into an even layer. Set aside.
Transfer strawberry mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe small dots of strawberry mixture onto top of the cheesecake starting from the center and spiraling outward towards the edge.
Using a toothpick or a skewer, drag gently through each dot, repeating the spiral pattern to create small hearts over the top of the cheesecake.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight, until set. Garnish with additional strawberries and serve chilled.