Strawberry Lemonade Mousse Cheesecake

Each bite of this silky, smooth  Strawberry Lemonade Mousse Cheesecake melts in your mouth! I’ve been picking a lot of strawberries with my sweet neighbor, Pat. We have been enjoying the fruits of our “labor” in a multitude of ways: on salads, as jam on toast,  strawberry banana muffins and yes, even in daiquiri form as we enjoyed our first crabs of the season on the porch.  Our agenda tomorrow includes another scheduled visit to the patch, weather permitting.

This dessert was everything I was hoping for; it’s not as heavy as a cheesecake and the only part of it you bake is the crust! It uses less cream cheese than one, yet there’s still a little tang combined with the sweet strawberry flavor. Its light texture is creamy with an almost silky feel in your mouth thanks to some heavy whipped cream folded into the mix. Now, let me take you through the process.

Using a microplane grater/zester. zest the lemon and mix it in the sugar so it will absorb some of its oil. Combine the crushed graham crackers, melted butter and sugar mixture until uniform in consistency. Spread out evenly into a springform pan which has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with a non-stick baking spray. Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup to press crumbs into the bottom and about an inch up each side. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Place on a cooling rack while you prep every thing else.

Quarter strawberries to measure about 2 cups. Puree in a food processor, which when measured, should yield about 1 1/2 cups.

I know this looks sloppy; I’ll use a bigger saucepan next time. Making a mess is part of the process of showing success in action. Boil the strawberries on MEDIUM-HIGH for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in the sugar, cornstarch dissolved in a little bit of water lemon juice and zest. Cook for an additional 4 minutes. It should show signs of thickening. When measured it should be about 1 1/4 cups. Place in the fridge to chill. The freezer would also work if you are in a hurry. Either way, stir every few minutes to help accelerate the cooling process. The strawberry filling, when cooled,  should have an almost  jam-like consistency.

Beat the COLD cream cheese until smooth and softened. Blend in the strawberry part of the filling until well distributed throughout, scraping down the sides a couple of times. Fold in the whipped cream on LOW. Scrape the sides a couple of times to ensure all is incorporated.

Spread evenly into the cooled graham cracker crust. Cover with either plastic or foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or longer. Usually, I make this a day ahead of time or early in the day so it has time to set which makes it easier to slice.

Carefully release the sides of the springform pan. Oh, my! Just look at this Strawberry Lemonade Mousse Cheesecake!

Slicing was easy. The tasting was even better and more delightful than expected! Don’t forget to share!