Timotheus' Famous Cheesecake

Additional Ingredients:

Follow the basic recipe with the following variations:

• Hull and cut strawberries in half, or in thirds if they are big.
• Soak the strawbwerries for 1 week in Grand Marnier. In addition to using the strawberries in the cake, you’ll also use the liquid.

After you have lined the pan with the cake mixture and made the Cheese Filling:

• Combine 3/4 cup of the Cheese Filling with 1/8 cup of the Grand Marnier that the strawberries were soaked in.
• Spread that thinly over dough at bottom of pan
• Cover that layer with a layer of the strawberries. You don’t need to drain the strawberries, just pull them from the liquid and place them on the cake. We didn’t cover the layer completely with the strawberries, we put them in 5 rows that ran the length of pan.
• Pour the rest of Cheese Filling on top of the strawberries, making sure to completely cover the strawberry layer.

Baking:

• It might look somewhat liquidy when the cook time is over, but it will solidify as it cools.
• The strawberries will float through the Cheese Filling as it bakes.

Topping:

• When the cake has cooled, combine the strawberry jam (or spread) with 2/3 cup of the Grand Marnier that the strawberries soaked in. Spread that evenly on top of Cheese Filling.

  Cut into 2-inch squares. Top with whipped cream if desired.

NOTE: Save the rest of the Grand Marnier that the strawberries were soaked in. It makes a good sipping liqueur with an interesting hint of strawberry in the Grand Marnier. It can also be poured over vanilla ice cream, or used as a flavoring for fruit cocktail, whipped cream, baked goods, and more!