White chocolate No-bake Cheese Cake w/ Roasted Strawberry Compote

Pairs perfectly with the fruit of any season.

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Years ago, when I was maybe 12 yo, a family friend asked me if I could make him a chocolate cheese cake for his birthday. And guess what? I did it. And it actually turned out pretty fantastic. I wish I would have had a smart phone back then (aging myself but 2002) so I could post a picture of it. I was impressed that I could accomplish a a dessert as daunting as cheesecake. I think that was a pivotal moment that sparked my confidence in baking. I found that even recipes that seemed too hard were worth trying because what does it *really* matter if the bake fails?

"With confidence you will take actions, and with those actions, you will new results in your life." - Anonymous

Now, life gets tricky and sometimes tackling a extensive and complicated recipe can seem like "too much" for every day life. So here enters the no-bake cheese cake.

The trick to this beauty is to mimic a real cheese cake's texture and flavor as closely as possible. So, I (of course) have a few tricks up my sleeve.

1. Use white chocolate to help the mixture stiffen when it sets in the freezer/fridge

2. add the smallest amount of vinegar/lemon juice to give it that sour cheese cake taste

3. add in Stiff peak whipped cream. This give it a light fluffy texture but the stiff peaks also help keep shape when you take it out if the spring form pan

4. top with your favorite fruit or toppings- don't be shy allow your imagination to go wild

And while this recipe is less complicated it has all the appeal and flavor of a traditional cheese cake. So borrow my 12 yo confidence, roll up your sleeves and make this for your next family get together.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe:

For the crust:

- 9 cinnamon graham crackers or sleeve of graham crackers

- 6 TBSP butte melted

- pinch of salt

Press firmly into a 7" or 9" spring form pan and place in freezer while you make the filling

For the filling:

- 16 oz. softened cream chees

- 1/4 c powdered sugar

- 4 oz. white chocolate melted

-1/8 tsp salt

-1/8 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

-1/2 tsp vanilla

-1/2 c stiff peak whipped cream

In a microwave safe bowl, melt cream cheese in microwave for 15 second increments until its very soft. Should be smooth and give no resistance when pushed on with a spoon. set aside. in a separate microwave safe bowl add white chocolate and melt for 30 seconds or until completely melted and smooth. Add melted white chocolate to your cream cheese. Mix in with your powdered sugar, salt, vinegar/lemon juice and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Then fold in your whipped cream ((you can make your own (recipe follows) or used store bought.)) I for one think homemade is the better option but its up to you? Make sure you are folding in the whipped cream and not over stirring. If you over stir the batter will deflate and be a bit more dense than desired. Place mixture in on top of your frozen graham cracker crust and freeze again for an hour or until completely set. Top with Roasted Strawberry compote or cranberry curd (really any topping will do)

Whipped Cream:

- 1/2 c heavy cream

- 1/4 c powdered sugar

- 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cream all together till still peaks form

Roasted Strawberry Compote:

- 8 c. or 2 lbs. fresh strawberries washed and tops cut off

- juice and zest of half a lemon

- juice of half a lime

- 2/3 c. sugar

- 1/2 tsp salt

To a 9x13 pan add all ingredients. Bake at 425°F for 10 min increments stirring and mashing in between. The strawberries will start to release their juices and thicken with the sugar to make a sauce. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and not come together after swiping your finger through it. Let cool completely before adding to you cheese cake (would be delicious warm on vanilla ice cream)