Many years ago, when I was first really getting into cooking and baking, I baked this Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake. The recipe is originally from Bon Appetit. And I baked it for a contest at the San Diego County Fair. I ended up winning 2nd place in the cheesecake contest, and for that… I got a ribbon! It really is a delicious cheesecake. The filling of the cheesecake is flavored with coconut, but there aren’t any flakes of coconut floating around in the cheesecake filling itself. And it’s topped with plenty of fresh strawberries.
If you are a fan of coconut flakes, you can edge the side of the Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake in coconut flakes too. But that’s totally optional. It will be delicious either way, but I know that some people are not big fans of the texture of flaked coconut… so it’s okay to leave it off. Personally, I love the flavor of coconut… but the flakes aren’t my favorite. So I usually leave them off the edges. The photos here show it with the flakes.
What is cream of coconut?
It’s sold in a can, and it can usually be found near the other cocktail mixers. Sometimes you can find it in the baking aisle. If you can’t find it, ask! Do not substitute coconut milk or coconut cream. Cream of coconut is the sweetened version of coconut cream. You need that for this recipe!
How to toast coconut:
For this recipe, you’ll need toasted coconut to add to the crust ingredients. If you want, you can also add toasted coconut (or regular, as pictured) to the sides of the cheesecake. To toast coconut, preheat your oven to 325°F. Spread the coconut flakes on a baking sheet in a thin layer and bake in the preheated oven. The flakes will toast very quickly and won’t take more than 5 to 10 minutes. After a few minutes stir the coconut so it’s all toasting evenly. Keep a close eye on it- you don’t want it to burn.
This Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake is a showstopper dessert. It’s pretty enough for a special occasion. Enjoy!
Here are a few more cheesecake recipes you might like to try:
New York Style Cheesecake Key Lime Cheesecake Red Velvet Cheesecake Lemon Cheesecake No Bake Cheesecake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Mango Lime Cheesecake Pumpkin Cheesecake
