Peaches and Cream Cheesecake

I have a great recipe for cheesecake that I always use, and everyone always loves it. But with all of the wonderful cheesecakes out there, I decided to see what I can do to change it up a little. I used my traditional cheesecake recipe, but I substituted shortbread cookies for the graham crackers in the crust. I add some delicious canned peaches to the inside of the cheesecake and make a peach topping for the top using frozen peaches. I then whip fresh whipped cream to spread over the top, and there you have it! Peaches and Cream Cheesecake. 

Ingredients:

For the crust:
2 cups shortbread cookies, crushed
4 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. sugar

 For the cheesecake batter:
4 packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 can sliced peaches, drained and pat dry

For the peach topping:
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 16-oz package frozen sliced peaches (slightly thawed)
½ tsp. cinnamon

Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the shortbread cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Transfer the mixture to a 10 inch spring form pan and press it down. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Once the pan has cooled, wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with aluminum foil (I do a double layer of foil).

Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for about one minute, then pour in the sugar and beat for another minute. Add the vanilla, eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream and beat until a smooth mixture forms.

Step 3: Lay the peaches in an even layer on top of the crust. Slowly pour in the cream cheese batter on top of the peaches.

Step 4: Lower the oven to 325 degrees. Fill a large roasting pan with water about ½ inch deep. Place the foil lined cheesecake into the center of the pan (be sure the bottom and sides of the pan are completely covered with foil so no water can seep in). Bake the cheesecake for about 70-75 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set but the center jiggles very slightly when moved. Turn the oven off, prop the door to the oven open slightly (I wedge a pot holder in the door), and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. This allows the cheesecake to gradually cool, which helps to avoid cracking. Then, remove the cheesecake from the oven, cover with foil (be careful not to let the foil touch the top of the cheesecake), and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Step 5: Make the topping! Whisk the water, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch together in a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stirring often. When the mixture starts to thicken, add the peaches and cinnamon. Stir to combine, then cook on low for about 6-7 minutes, or until peaches have softened up. Remove from heat and cool.

Step 6: Make the whipped cream! Pour 2 cups of heavy cream in a medium size bowl and add ¼ cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed until the cream has thickened into whipped cream.

Step 7: Loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the pan by running a knife along the sides. Remove the sides of the pan from the cheesecake and transfer the cheesecake to a cake platter. Spoon on the peach topping, and then spread the whipped cream over the peaches.

Step 8: Slice it up and enjoy!