Rhubarb Cheesecake with Strawberries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is rhubarb season and you all know how I love cheesecakes! I am constantly on the hunt for the next great cheesecake – baked or not. At a bridal shower recently, a friend brought a beautiful cheesecake for us all to enjoy. The cheesecake was creamy with a wonderful light rhubarb flavor enhanced by the fresh strawberries that were in the cake as well as on top. The cheesecake portion is unbaked. This is a great way to use rhubarb in a cool, fluffy cheesecake. Use your prettiest pie plate to make this in.

Rhubarb Cheesecake with Strawberries

Crust:

1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs

¼ cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

Filling:

1 pound rhubarb

½ cup sugar

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

1 cup 2% creamed cottage cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 pint strawberries

1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream) whipped stiffly

Preheat oven: 325 °F.

1. Crust:Blend graham crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press into a greased 9 inch springform pan or pretty pie pan. Reserve ¼ cup for the topping. Bake shell for 15 minutes at 325°F. Cool on a cooling rack.
2. Filling:Cut rhubarb into 1 inch pieces. Combine with ½ cup sugar and a bit of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered until tender – about 5 minutes.
3. Drain and measure the rhubarb syrup. Add more water if necessary to make ½ cup.
4. Soften gelatin in ¼ cup of this syrup.
5. Mix remaining ¼ cup syrup, egg yolks and ½ cup sugar in the top of a double boiler. [note: if you don’t have a double boiler, place syrup, egg yolks, sugar in a glass or metal bowl over a saucepan filled with boiling water] Cook over simmering water stirring constantly with a whisk until sugar dissolves and egg yolks thicken slightly. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture.
6. Beat cottage cheese in a large bowl until smooth (or use a blender and then place smooth cottage cheese in the bowl). Add lemon juice and salt.
7. Stir in the egg mixture to the cottage cheese. Fold in the strained rhubarb and sliced strawberries.
8. Fold in the whipped cream.
9. Garnish with remaining crumbs and fresh strawberries.

Yield: 8 slices.

Tags: cheesecake, cottage cheese, cottage cheese cheesecake, rhubarb cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake

Category: Cakes & Tortes