Now there is NOTHING wrong with the cherry cheesecake I grew up enjoying on every summer holiday, especially 4th of July, or the one your Mom or Aunt Judy made. My Mom’s was the one with a graham cracker pie crust, cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice and cherry pie filling on top. It’s good, it’s easy and it makes a nice presentation on ANY summer buffet…HOWEVER, if you are looking for something a little more adventurous on this day that a few group of men took on one of the HUGEST adventures of a lifetime and we are all benefiting from it all these 247 years ago, well…Here You Go! Think white chocolate, heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, fresh berries, raspberry preserves, amaretto cookie crumbs and topped with fresh whipped cream…Well yes, that is delectable, delicious & yes, adventurous for your discriminating palate…No matter which cheesecake is on your table and maybe there is no cheesecake at all and your Family has another delectable dessert that is tradition for your 4th of July, enjoy every bit and mostly, remember the sacrifice men and women have made so that we can sit around today, enjoying a cookout, good food, fellowship & Freedom…Freedom isn’t Free and if you are fortunate to be an American, your are pretty damn lucky…
NOTE: You need to make this at least 6 hours in advance
INGREDIENTS (8-10 servings depending on how you slice)
-1-11 ounce bag of white chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli )
-20 ounces Neufchâtel or Cream Cheese (2-8 ounce packages and 6 ounces from a third)
-1 pint heavy whipping cream (you will use 1 cup for cheesecake & remaining to whip for topping)
-2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
-3 little packages fresh raspberries (1/2 cup for cheesecake filling, 1/2 cup for a sauce to top), Remaing for garnish)
-5 Tablespoons raspberry preserves
-1 cup amaretto cookie crumbs (graham cracker crumbs could be substituted)
-Blueberries for garnish and/or strawberries
METHOD
🫐 Warm the chocolate chips to melt. You could use a double boiler, I like to use the microwave. I set at 50% and warm in 50 second increments stopping after each 50 seconds to stir. Depending on your microwave, it could take a few cycles. Mine took three. Do not bring to a boil or over heat.
🫐 While the chocolate is melting, get everything else ready. You will want to work somewhat rapidly as you will not want the white chocolate to hard up before you have filling blended.
🫐 Spray a loaf pan lightly with Pam cooking spray and then line the pan with plastic wrap so it will be easy to remove when time to serve.
🫐 With your whisk beater, blend the cream cheese, sugar and cream. Add the white chocolate. Do not over whisk.
🫐 Stir 1/2 cup of the raspberries with 2 Tablespoons of the preserves.
🫐 Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture into the lined loaf pan. Now spoon the raspberry jam mixture down the center on top of the first half of the cream cheese mix true. Top with the remaining cream cheese mixture and level the top. Lastly, press the cookie crumbs and press with your spatula. this will be the crust of the cheesecake. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours. I chill over night.
🫐 With 1/2 cup of raspberries and the remaining 3 Tablespoons raspberry preserves, warm in a small saucepan until soft. With a food processor, hand emulsion blender or blender, mix to make a sauce. You made need to add a very little water if sauce is too thick. If you prefer no seeds, you could rub through a sieve or strainer.
🫐 When time to serve, whip the remaining whipping cream. with care, turn the loaf pan onto a plate, lift it away and strip off the plastic wrap. Place remaining raspberries, and blueberries and or strawberries (my Hubby is allergic to strawberries so I either omit or make one with and one without depending on how many guests).
Slice, place a dollop of whipping cream and drizzle a little sauce on top…Enjoy!
