Shelly's Recipe

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

16 graham cracker squares (approximately 1 1/4 cups chopped)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 (24 pieces) package soft ladyfingers
1 quart fresh strawberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 (16 oz) container sour cream, divided
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed
2 (3.4 oz) pkg cheesecake or vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400. For crust, finely chop crackers. Melt butter. Mix in brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of springform pan. Bake 10 minutes; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Trim ladyfingers flat on bottom. Place ladyfingers around edge of pan, standing up against sides; fit together snugly. Set aside one perfect strawberry with stem for garnish. Hull remaining strawberries. Place strawberries next to each other, hulled side down, over entire surface of crust.

Measure 1/2 cup sour cream and set aside. Gradually whisk together cream cheese, thawed strawberries in juice and remaining sour cream. Add pudding mix; whisk until mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. Immediately pour pudding mixture over strawberries in pan, pressing down between berries. Smooth surface.

Combine reserved sour cream with powdered sugar in a bowl; mix until smooth. Spread topping over cake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. For garnish, slice reserved strawberry to create a strawberry fan; place on top of cake.