Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce "Say Cheese!"

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1.5 cups chopped graham crackers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 55 g butter, melted
• Cooking spray

Filling

• 900 g of cream cheese
• 2 cups sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cups sugar
• 2.5 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry sauce

• 1 – 1 and 1/4 cups fresh strawberries, halved
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lime

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.
   
   Spray the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray; line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and spray the paper with cooking spray. Place the pan on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and lift the foil up the sides to seal the seams between the bottom and sides of the pan (this will prevent water from seeping into the pan).
2. In a mixer bowl, combine crushed graham crackers with sugar. Add melted butter and mix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly into the bottom and sides. Set aside.
3. Filling:
   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
   
4. Spread the filling on the prepared crust. Place the foil-lined pan in a large roasting pan and carefully pour 1 cm of warm water into the pan to create a water bath. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the oven door, and let the cheesecake rest for 1 hour. Before removing the cheesecake from the pan, refrigerate it for 2 hours or overnight.
5. Strawberry sauce:
   
   Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lime zest in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. The sauce is best served refrigerated.