Delicious White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

• 2 cups chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 8 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened & room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.***
2. In a small bowl, heat raspberry preserves in microwave at 30 second intervals (70% power), stirring each time, until the preserves are smooth (no lumps)
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust.
5. Spoon 4 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter (doesn't have to totally cover the mixture). Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 4 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
6. (SEE NOTE BELOW) On bottom rack of oven, Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry preserves (reheated) and shaved white chocolate on top.

NOTE: To avoid cracking when you bake the cheesecake, fill a rimmed sheet pan with boiling water and place on the bottom rack in the oven while the cheesecake cooks. When the cheesecake is set, leave the oven door open a crack & allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature in the oven before covering & refrigerating.
***You can use this recipe to make mini cheesecakes, too. You may end up with left over cookie crumbs. I usually press about 2 tbl cookie crumbs in the bottom of a 12 cup mini cheesecake pan. Baking time will be reduced by about 15 minutes...keep checking cheesecakes to be sure they don't get too brown. While baking, they will rise & may rise out of the pan. Let them cook...when you take them out of the oven & they finish setting, they will deflate a little.