Strawberry-Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortbread cookie (10-ounce such as Lorna Doone)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 10 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed, juices reserved (about 2 3/4 cups)

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup strawberry or currant jelly
• 3 pints baskets fresh strawberries, hulled, halved lengthwise

Directions

1. 1

   For crust:.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 325°F Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Grind cookies in processor to coarse crumbs. Add butter and blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust until just golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

3. 3

   For filling:.

4. 4

   Puree thawed strawberries and juices in processor until smooth. Measure 3/4 cup puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use); do not wash bowl. Add cream cheese and sugar to processor. Blend until smooth. Using on/off turns, blend in flour. Add eggs; process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add 3/4 cup strawberry puree, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract; process until well blended. Transfer filling to prepared crust.

5. 5

   Bake cake until center is softly set and edges begin to color, puff and crack, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Place hot cheesecake on rack. Refrigerate uncovered on rack until cold, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.).

6. 6

   For topping:.

7. 7

   Using small knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides. Stir jelly in heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Arrange berry halves atop cheesecake in concentric circles; brush with warm jelly to glaze. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.