Fruited-Cheesecake Flag

Submitted by Chef mariajane

"This is a very good cake that you can play with and make it in the shape of the American flag, just fun to make and a great recipe for the 4th of July!!"

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Yields: 48 squares

ingredients

• vegetable oil cooking spray
• 3 cups flour
• coarse salt
• 12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1⁄2 cups blackberries
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 lb strawberry, hulled and sliced lengthwise, divided into thirds
• confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• 3 cups raspberries

directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F Coat a 13x9 rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2 - inch overhang on the long sides. Coat parchment with spray.
2. Sift flour and 1 3/4 teaspoons salt into a bowl. Cream butter with a mixer on medium-high speed occasionally scraping bowl, until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Wth the mixer running slowly add brown sugar, beating very pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture all at once and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
3. Transfer dough to sheet. Use a large piece of plastic wrap to press dough into an even layer that covers the bottom of the sheet. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Bake dough until entire surface is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in a sheet on wire rack. Raise oven temperarure to 350°F.
5. In a clean bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed, occasionally scraping down sides, until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add granualted sugar in a slow, steady stream. Scrape bowl, then mix in lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extract, and a pinch of salt until well combined Scrape bowl, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. The mixture should be very smooth; scrape bowl, as necessary. Pour over crust, and spread in an even layer.
6. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet, on rack. Refrigerate until firm and cold, about 4 hours, or overnight.
7. Run a sharp knife along short sides of sheet, and use parchment to lift out cheesecake. Run knife under hot water, and dry well. Use it to cut cheesecake into 48 squares, wiping knife clean between cuts.
8. Transfer squares ro a serving platter, reforming the rectangle. Decorate top left squares (3 down and 4 across) placing a blackberry in the center of each square, and mounding blueberies around it. Using a long offset spatula slide out 4 squares from bottom row, and then square from alternate rows. Alternatively omit strawberries and dust alternating rows with Confectioner's suar. Place raspberries on every unadorned row. Serve immediately (or refrigerate overnight).

Reviews

[Manami]

Hello Chef Marijane, this recipe looks absolutely over the top! I had printed it from Martha Stewart's site and made it for the first time last year - when the resident's took part in voting for president, since they became American citizens! We used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries only. The cheesecake is wonderful and that goes without saying. Thanks for posting and saving me the time, Manami ;)