Berry Cheesecake

I made cheesecake when I was in LA this summer and thought I'd share the pictures to brighten up your day after all this gloomy snow.

After having company over all evening, I started this cheesecake at 11 pm and finished many hours later, but I'm so happy with how it turned out! My oven left a few wonky marks on top because the cheesecake rose quite a bit, but that's nothing some fresh berries can't fix!

I used a hybrid of this recipe and this one.

For the topping, I let the berries macerate in a bowl with some sugar and vanilla bean paste, then tossed them in some warm apricot jam to give them a little extra flavor and a bit of shine.

This cheesecake was sent to a party with my little sister, so I never got a taste, but I heard it went over well! Now I just have to make it again so I can cut myself a nice big slice...