Ingredients:
Cheesecake:
1 cup sugar
8 oz package x 4 (32 oz total) cream cheese, softened
4 eggs, large
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional
Additional strawberries, optional
1/2 cup strawberry fruit spread
Red food coloring
Bottom Crust:
2 cup (approx. 30 cookies) Golden Oreo cookies, crushed
3 tbsp butter, melted
Topping:
2 cup (approx. 30 cookies) Golden Oreo cookies
3 tbsp strawberry gelatin
4 tbsp butter, softened
Reserved cream from Oreo cookies
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Put parchment paper around outer rim of 9-inch spring form pan. Butter well to avoid sticking.
Crust:
1. Melt butter.
2. Crush the Oreo cookies to a sandy consistency & incorporate the butter.
3. Press mixture into the bottom of your 9 inch spring form pan.
4. Bake in oven for 10-15 mins until light brown.
5. Remove, let cool, and set aside.
Cheesecake Filling:
1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and eggs on med-low until everything is combined, about 3 minutes. You want most of the lumps to be gone.
2. Split the batter into two bowls.
3. Mix one bowl with strawberry fruit spread. Add 2-4 drops of food coloring depending on how pink you want the cheesecake to be.
4. Pour batter in small amounts alternating to create the zebra design.*
5. Place cheesecake on center oven rack directly in the center. Place a shallow dish full of water on the next rack directly under the cheesecake.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 mins to 1 hour and 45 mins. It is important that you do not open the oven door before the first 30 mins. The cheesecake is done when the center is almost set, and jiggles slightly with a center temp of 150°F.
7. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hrs. Once cooled remove pan ring, and cover with prepared topping. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.
Crumb Topping:
1. In a small bowl or food processor add the Oreo cookies, and crumble into a gravel consistency.
2. Add the softened butter and mix gently with a fork or your hands to make pea-sized pieces stick together.
3. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
4. Pour strawberry Jello powder over the remaining crumbs, and continue pinching the pieces together.****
5. Melt the reserved Oreo cream in the microwave for 30-40 secs long enough to make it spreadable. Spread it over the cake top and sides.
6. Combine the two mixes of crumbs and press gently against cake.
Serving: Can top with fresh strawberries and/or whipped cream for garnish. Enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers. ***
Note:
You will need 2 packages of Golden Oreo cookies. Remove the cream and set aside. In this recipe the approximates are two halves of Oreo cookies = 1 cookie. I used regular Oreo cookies, but you can use double stuffed if you prefer. It is important that all your ingredients are room temperature before making this recipe. You cannot skip this step!
* Alternatively you can pour half the white mixture, all of the pink mixture, and then the remaining half of the white mixture if you only want the pink in the middle similar to the ice cream bar.
** It is important to let the cheesecake cool completely in the fridge before serving because it will not hold up as well if you rush it.
***Don't add garnish until ready to serve as the whipped cream may not hold up well.
**** You can make Jello with the remaining mix. Mix the remaining powder with 1/2 cup hot water. Once mix is dissolved combine it with 1/2 ice cold water. Refrigerate until set.
