Baking Banquet: RASPBERRY & CHOCOLATES SWIRL CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 cup (about 20) crushed oreo cookies
6 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
(you can also buy 2 pre-maid oreo crusts - Put it into a 8-inch springform pan and break it up, then add 6 tablespoons melted butter - mix it, then press the crumbs down to smooth. Put it into the freezer to set while you make the filling for the cheesecake)

Filling:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/8 cup cold water

¼ cup boiling water

½ cup sugar, I use extra fine baker’s sugar
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
6 oz. white chocolate baking bar, melted
1 cup whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder

1/8 teaspoon raspberry extract, optional

Raspberry:

1 cup fresh raspberries

½ packet gelatin

¼ - ½ (depending on the sweetness of your raspberries) cup extra fine baker’s sugar

Melted Chocolate

4 oz. chocolate

3 tablespoons whipping cream

Whipping Cream, fresh raspberries, raspberry sauce and chocolate sauce for garnish

Directions:

In small bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom of 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.

In small saucepan, pour gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute. Add boiling water and sugar; stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and gelatin and sugar are dissolved.

Wash and pat dry raspberries. Add raspberries to a blender or a food processor and puree. Puree until smooth. Pour raspberry puree into a small saucepan. Chill for 10 minutes.

In a heavy saucepan or double boiler, melt white chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly until it is almost completely melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring. It will finish melting as you stir it.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until creamy. Gradually add melted baking bar, gelatin mixture , whipping cream, vanilla and raspberry extract (optional). Beat until smooth. Pour into crust lined pan.

Pour packet of gelatin over raspberry puree. Let sit 1 minute. In a small saucepan, add sugar and cook on low until gelatin dissolves. Let cool to room temperature. Reserve about 4 tablespoons of raspberry sauce for garnish.

In a heavy saucepan or a double boiler melt chocolate and whipping cream, just until it is nearly melted. Stir constantly. Remove from heat just before melted. Continue stirring. It will finish melting as you stir it.

Spoon about 6 teaspoons full of the raspberry mixture onto the top of the cheesecake in a circular pattern. Place dollops of melted chocolate on top of raspberry circles. Using a knife in a circular motion, gently swirl the raspberry mixture into the cheesecake. Add more raspberry mixture and chocolate as you like and swirl with the knife, until it is the desired amount of

Cover; refrigerate 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours or until firm.

Just before serving, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Carefully remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipping cream and raspberry sauce. Store in refrigerator.