Strawberry Cheesecake

What better way to elevate a dessert inspired by strawberries and cream with actual strawberries and cream?! Check-out a few simple recipes for a homemade strawberry sauce and whipped cream below to take this cheesecake to a new level!

Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:
1). In a saucepan over medium heat, add strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Stir to combine. If your strawberries are not very juicy, add 1-2 tablespoons of water, or more, as needed.
2). Bring your mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture has thickened and looks glossy (this could take up to 6-8 minutes). Remove from heat to cool, and store topping in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Homemade whipped cream
Ingredients:
- 1 Pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1). Chill the bowl of a mixer or a large mixing bowl (glass or metal preferred) in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
2). Add your whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the chilled bowl and use the wire whisk attachment of a standing mixer, or a hand-held mixer to beat the ingredients together, starting on low speed and increasing to high slowly as it begins to whip.
3). Beat for 60-90 seconds until fluffy.
4). Spoon your strawberry sauce on top of your Strawberry Cheesecake and finish with a serving of homemade whipped cream for a strawberries and cream delight!

CREAM CHEESE: pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, stabilizers (carob bean and/or xanthan and/or guar gums). CONTAINS: milk; eggs (shell eggs); sugar (sugar); Sour Cream (Grade A cultured cream, Contains: milk);
STRAWBERRIES: strawberries.
GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS: Unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate {Vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), folic acid), graham flour (whole grain wheat flour), sugar, soybean oil, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil*, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate), salt. CONTAINS: wheat. * Adds a trivial amount of trans fat.
MARGARINE: soybean oil, palm oil, water, salt, contains less than 2% of soy lechtin, potassium sorbate (a preservative), vegetable mono diglycerides, citric acid, natural artificial flavor, beta carotene (color), Vitamin A palmitate added, whey (milk). CONTAINS: soybean, milk.
RED FOOD COLORING: water, propylene glycol, FD&C reds 40 and 3 and propylparaben (as a preservative).