This Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake is a wonderful dessert for a special occasion or for that special someone. (Jump directly to the recipe.)

This post was sponsored by Safeway. I was compensated for this post and for developing the recipe. However, all opinions below are completely my own.

How did February and Valentine’s Day arrive so fast? One minute I’m hanging mistletoe, and the next I’m trying to figure out if I’m going to disappoint my partner AJ by missing another Valentine’s Day. Spoiler alert, it has happened before! Lucky for me, I finally figured out that I can run to my local Safeway for last minute presents! My secret weapon is debi lilly design™ flower bouquets and vases. They’re reasonably priced, always gorgeous, and available for me any time I want (since my Safeway also happens to be open 24 hours).

Now AJ and I have been together for nearly 18 years so you’d think we would be over getting stuff for each other for every single holiday. But even after all that time, we still try to find time to do something special for each other (even if I occasionally forget until the last minute). But when I have my act together, I also try to bake him something special as well. We don’t always buy presents for each other for EVERY holiday, but I know AJ loves cheesecake, and though it does take a little bit of advance preparation by baking it the day before so it can chill in the fridge, it also means I don’t have to worry about preparing anything on the holiday itself. This means I can just enjoy our time together on that special day!

So, if you’re a planner (which I strive to be) this cheesecake is for you. Make the cheesecake the night before and go to Safeway to pick up a fun debi lilly design vase along with flowers of your choice to make it special. Or if you are a last-minute sort of person (which is probably more the reality for me), know that Safeway has your back with pre-arranged debi lilly design bouquets that are beautiful and won’t breaking the bank. You can just grab and go, cutting the flowers to fit the vase of your choice. Happy Valentine’s Day folks! I hope, regardless of which sort of person you are, you have a wonderful one.

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake. Photo and recipe by Irvin Lin of Eat the Love.

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5 from 2 votes

Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping

People are often wary of baking cheesecake for fear that it will be overbaked and the top will crack, ruining a beautiful cheesecake. My solution is pretty easy and doesn’t require a waterbath. Just take the temperature of the center of the cake! Once it reaches 150°F, it is done. The center should jiggle slightly but it will set once it’s chilled. And no need to worry about the cracking on top. I make an easy sour cream topping to spread on top, covering up any unsightly cracks. Don’t be scared of the number of ingredients, as this recipe comes together pretty easily. Just make sure to make this cheesecake the night before and let it sit in the fridge to chill properly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 770kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

Strawberry filling and sauce

3 cups chopped strawberries 1 pound or 455 g
1/2 cup O Organics® white granulated sugar 100 g
1 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon O Organics® vanilla extract

Cheesecake crust

1 1/2 cups Safeway SELECT™ Cinnamon Graham Crackers 9 crackers or 1 sleeve
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons melted O Organics® unsalted butter

Cheesecake filling

1/2 cup O Organics® whole milk
2 cups O Organics® Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks 10 ounces
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 teaspoon O Organics® vanilla extract
24 ounces O Organics® Cream Cheese at room temperature 680 g or 3 bricks
1 cup O Organics® white granulated sugar 100 g
4 large O Organics® eggs
2 tablespoons O Organics® all-purpose flour

Sour Cream Topping

1 cup O Organics® sour cream 230 g
3 tablespoons O Organics® white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon O Organics® vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the strawberry sauce by placing the strawberries, sugar and cornstarch in a medium sized pot and cooking on medium heat, stirring constantly. At first the strawberries will sizzle a bit then they’ll start to break down and they will produce juice. The liquid will be cloudy and then turn translucent as the cornstarch cooks. Continue to cook until it thickens and the liquid is transparent. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place the sauce in a blender or food processor and process until it becomes a sauce. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9” round springform pan with cooking spray. Place once sheet of aluminum foil on a rimmed baking sheet or pizza pan. Place another sheet of aluminum foil 90° angle from that one. Place the springform pan in the center and crinkle the foil up around the pan so as to catch any drips from the cheesecake.
Make the crust by placing the crackers, powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt in a clean blender or food processor. Process until crumbs form.
Drizzle the melted butter into bowl and process until the crumbs start to clump together.
Dump the crumbs into the prepared pan and press on the bottom of the pan into an even crust. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
While the crust is baking, make the filling by placing the milk and chocolate chunks in a medium sized pan. Turn the heat to medium and stir constantly until the chocolate melts and forms a smooth chocolate sauce stir in the instant coffee and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn on low and mix until the sugar is blended in. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting until the first one is incorporated before adding the next egg. Add the flour and beat to incorporate.
Scrape the chocolate sauce into the batter and stir until just blended and uniform in color.
Once the crust is baked, spoon half the batter into the pan and spread evenly to cover the crust. Spoon half the strawberry sauce on top of the chocolate cheesecake filling and carefully spread it over the top. Reserve the remaining sauce in a bowl, covered by plastic wrap, in the fridge.
Carefully spoon the remaining chocolate cheesecake filling on top of the layer of strawberry filling in the pan. Spread evenly and bake in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake jiggles slightly, or a thermometer inserted in the middle hits 150°F. Let cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, make the sour cream topping by stirring all the ingredients together and then setting it aside for 10 minutes for the sugar to dissolve. Stir to blend, once the sugar has dissolved, then spread over the cheesecake top. Serve with the remaining strawberry sauce.