By Cindy Widder, General Manager of Berlin Natural Bakery

As the hustle and bustle of the holidays is winding down, I am sharing this delicious recipe for Raspberry Cheesecake that will delight all of your friends and family. Whether for a New Year’s celebration or “just because”…this dessert makes a spectacular display and tastes even better than it looks. I used to think that making cheesecake would be so difficult, and for that reason, I didn’t even attempt it for many years. Thankfully after finally giving it a shot, I found out that the belief that making cheesecake is difficult is a total misconception. The directions may look daunting, but give it a whirl. Just take it step by step and you’ll be done in no time. I think you’ll be delighted with the results. I know your family and friends will be!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the crust: * 3-4 Berlin Natural Bakery oatmeal Gem Spelt cookie crumbs (1 1/2 cups) * 1 tablespoon sugar * 6 tablespoons butter, melted For the filling: * 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature (5-8oz pkgs) * 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 * 1 tabelspoon grated lemon zest (simply grate the outside peel of 2 lemons) * 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract For the topping: * 1 cup red jelly (not jam), such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry * 3 half-pints fresh raspberries (I used approx 1 1/2 cups)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the crust, combine the Oatmeal Gem cookies, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-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. To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Note: I actually used a larger springform pan (at least 10-inch) as this makes a large cheesecake. If you use a 9 –inch, it will just be thicker. Enjoy! If you’ve never attempted to make cheesecake before, you won’t be sorry you tried this. For our next recipe, I’m going to move away from desserts and give you a recipe for a scrumptious breakfast casserole. You will need the following ingredients: bacon, ham, onion, a loaf of Berlin Natural Bakery spelt bread (any kind), potatoes (or frozen hash browns), cheddar cheese, eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce and ground mustard. This is another recipe that can be assembled ahead and then baked the next day. Have a wonderful New Year. Until next time….Happy Baking!!