Raspberry Cheesecake

This is the best cheesecake recipe I've come across. The recipe (from Barefoot Contessa) is written to include the raspberry topping but the cheesecake is good enough to serve all on it's own, or with whatever topping you like. This cake has to be made the day before you plan on serving it so, plan ahead! Making this the day before makes this a perfect dessert for a dinner party. I'm sorry about the way the topping ingredient list looks...I could not, for the life of me, get it through the editor correctly. Should read: 1 C. raspberry jelly or currant jelly or strawberry jelly (do not use jam).

• Ready In: 3 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 12-15

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 6  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• Filling

• 2 1⁄2 lbs cream cheese, at room temperature
• 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  tablespoon  grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Raspberry Topping

• 1  cup  raspberry jelly (do not use jam) or 1  cup currant jelly (do not use jam) or 1  cup strawberry (do not use jam)
• 1 1⁄2 pints fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To make crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs, 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.
3. Raise the oven temperature to 450°.
4. To make 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, two 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.
5. You can set the springform pan on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any leaks.
6. Bake for 15 minutes then turn down the oven temperature to 225° 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. Let the cake sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out and let it sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
7. 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.
8. 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 berry mixture on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.