White Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Swirl

1. Stage

Make the crust: Butter a 9" springform pan and wrap bottom and sides of pan in double layer of aluminum foil. Set rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°.

2. Stage

In food processor or blender, grind graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add sugar and salt and pulse to combine. Transfer to medium bowl, add butter, and use fork or fingers to blend mixture until crumbs are evenly moist. Press into bottom and about a third of the way up sides of springform pan, then freeze pan, 10 minutes.

3. Stage

Place pan on baking sheet and bake crust, 10 minutes. Set on rack to cool and reduce oven temperature to 325°.

4. Stage

Make the raspberry sauce: In food processor or blender, purée berries and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour through fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl, pushing on berries to release any juices; discard solids. Set aside.

5. Stage

Make the cheesecake: Bring medium saucepan or tea kettle full of water to boil.

6. Stage

In a clean, dry metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

7. Stage

In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on medium, scraping down bowl as necessary, until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat, scraping down bowl as necessary, until smooth and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition and scraping down bowl as necessary. Add melted white chocolate, sour cream, and heavy cream and beat on low until fully incorporated and completely smooth, about 1 minute.

8. Stage

Pour cheesecake batter into cooled crust and smooth top. Drop teaspoons of raspberry sauce all over top of cheesecake. Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to swirl sauce into batter. Place cheesecake in deep roasting pan and set on middle rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until top is just starting to brown and crack, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off oven, prop door open with wooden spoon, and let cheesecake slowly cool in water bath for 1 hour.

9. Stage

Remove roasting pan from oven, then carefully lift springform pan out of water and remove foil. Set cheesecake on a rack and let come to room temperature. Once completely cool, loosely cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 4 hours, or preferably overnight. When ready to serve, carefully remove sides of springform pan.