INGREDIENTS:

CHEESECAKE:

• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup sour cream
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:

• 2 pounds strawberries, hulled
• ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¾ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 cups Caramel Buttercream Frosting

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Combine the heavy cream and the scraped vanilla bean in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. Next, add the eggs one at a time.
3. Remove the vanilla bean from the heavy cream. Pour the heavy cream, sour cream, salt, cornstarch, and vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well and scrape the sides to incorporate everything completely.
4. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in aluminum foil. Butter the inside of the pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and tap the pan against the counter to remove air bubbles. Place the cake pan in a large, deep baking tray. Pour hot water into the baking tray until it is about halfway up the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour, until set.
6. Turn off the heat and keep the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove from the oven, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
7. Place the strawberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the pureed strawberries through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Place into a large saucepan with the cinnamon stick over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Remove the cinnamon stick and add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan. Whisk until it has slightly thickened. Allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
9. Slice a piece of the cheesecake and drizzle with the strawberry sauce. Place the caramel buttercream into a pastry bag with a closed star tip. Place a small dollop of caramel buttercream on top of the sliced cheesecake.

Here are a few variations of the cheesecake recipe:

1. Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake:
   • Add ½ cup of cocoa powder to the cheesecake batter for a rich chocolate flavor.
   • Instead of the Caramel Buttercream Frosting, make a chocolate ganache by melting 1 cup of chocolate chips with ½ cup of heavy cream. Pour the ganache over the cooled cheesecake and top with sliced strawberries.
2. Raspberry Vanilla Cheesecake:
   • Replace the strawberries in the topping with fresh raspberries for a tangy twist.
   • Add 1 teaspoon of raspberry extract to the cheesecake batter for extra flavor.
3. Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake:
   • Use blueberries in both the filling and the topping.
   • Add the zest of one lemon to the cheesecake batter for a refreshing citrus note.
4. Nutty Caramel Cheesecake:
   • Add 1 cup of chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts) to the cheesecake batter.
   • Drizzle the top of the cheesecake with caramel sauce and sprinkle with more chopped nuts.