Mascarpone Cheesecake With Balsamic Strawberries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups ground crumbs from purchased almond biscotti (about 6 ounces)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus
2 tablespoons sugar, divided use
2 large eggs
3 cups quartered hulled strawberries
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Tightly wrap outside of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.
Mix biscotti crumbs and butter in bowl.
Press mixture evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
Chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, mascarpone and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl until smooth.
Add eggs 1 at a time; beat just until blended.
Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust in pan.
Place springform pan in large roasting pan.
Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
Bake until cheesecake is golden and center of cake moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Transfer cake to rack; cool 1 hour.
Chill overnight.
(Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.) Mix strawberries, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and vinegar in large bowl.
Let stand at room temperature until juices form, about 30 minutes.
Cut cake into wedges.
Spoon strawberries alongside and serve.