Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

CRUST

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly spray or butter the insides of a 9-inch springform pan. I like to lightly butter mine, resulting in a very smooth crust. See picture above of the whole cheesecake. 
3. To a medium bowl, add the melted butter, cracker crumbs, sugar and salt and mix until all the crumbs are moistened with the butter.  Using the bottom of a measuring cup, or your hands, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and about half way up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with heavy-duty foil.  Place the springform pan on the middle rack of an oven and bake for 10 minutes until the crust is just set.  Set the pan aside while preparing the filling.

FILLING

1. Prepare the water bath.  Move oven rack to the bottom third of the oven.  Place a large pan, larger than the springform pan, on the oven rack.  Make sure the pan is at least 2 inches deep.  Fill the pan with at least 1 inch of boiling water.  Leave the pan in the preheated oven while you prepare the filling. Alternately, you can leave the oven preheated oven, place the cheesecake in the pan in the oven, and then pour boiling water around it. If you do this, make sure no water splatters into the cheesecake filling.
2. Add the cream cheese to the large bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, mix the cream cheese on high speed until the cream cheese is light and creamy and free of any lumps.  Add the vanilla, sugar and eggs, one at a time, and mix on medium speed until well blended.  Add the sour cream and whipping cream and mix to incorporate.  Pour the filling over the crust.  Pick up the pan and gently shake it to even out the filling.  To ensure you do not tear a hole in the foil, make sure you do not shake the pan back and forth on a surface.
3. Carefully, place the springform pan in the water bath in the preheated oven.  Bake the cheesecake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for approximately 50 more minutes until the cheesecake is slightly jiggly in the center. Don’t bake it until it doesn’t slightly jiggle or you will over bake it, and it won’t be as creamy. Turn the oven off and leave oven door slightly ajar.  Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and remove the foil from around the pan. Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack and allow it to completely cool, about 2 hours. Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Release and remove the springform ring, cut and serve.
5. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

1. Add the water and cornstarch to a medium saucepan and whisk together until smooth.  Place the pan over medium heat and add the sugar and strawberries.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes while stirring constantly and remove from heat.  Using a potato masher, slightly mash some of the strawberries. This part is optional. I do it to have more syrupy goodness.  Allow compote to completely cool.  It will thicken as it cools.  Refrigerate the compote until ready to use.

WHIPPED CREAM (optional)

1. Add the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute.  Add the vanilla and sugar and mix on high speed until medium-stiff peaks form about 1 minute.  Place dollops of the cream around the edges of the cheesecake, or pipe it on with a pastry bag. I usually don’t pipe the whipped cream onto the cheesecake until the following day when I’m ready to serve it.