Cheesecake Topped with Strawberries

A bit of almond accents this luscious cheesecake baked on a nutty crust and beautifully topped with glistening strawberries.

Ingredients

Crust:

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

36 vanilla wafer cookies

1/4 cup whole almonds

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

1 (16-ounce) box strawberries

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

Honey Tips

Honey Bees Need Water

To keep their hives strong, beekeepers must place them in locations that will provide abundant nectar sources as well as water.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Crust:
In a small saucepan bring butter and honey to a boil. Set aside.
Finely grind vanilla wafers in food processor. Add nuts, salt, melted honey and butter. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Press mixture onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
Bake crust about 12 minutes until golden. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
Filling:
Place cream cheese and ricotta cheese in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add honey and sugar. Mix to combine. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in almond extract. Pour filling into cooled crust.
Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden and center moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken. Transfer to a rack to cool. Refrigerate. Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Topping:
Trim strawberries and cut into quarters. Drizzle honey over berries. Stir gently.
To serve:
Run a knife around side of pan to loosen. Release sides of pan. Transfer cheesecake to a platter. Top with berries.
Serves: 12