There are a range of options for choosing the best strawberry cheesecake topping. Ideally, the topping should contain real fruit, either fresh or frozen. Usually, a topping made from scratch tastes better than one in a can, though a canned topping may be less time consuming. Depending on your taste preference, you may prefer a smooth strawberry cheesecake topping or one made with whole pieces of fruit.
If you are pressed for time, you may find that the best strawberry cheesecake topping is a can of strawberry pie filling. The pie filling can simply be opened and spooned over the cheesecake, or another quick option is to spread a layer of strawberry jam over the cake. Check the jam ingredients to make sure the filling contains real strawberries, however, and isn't simply strawberry flavored.
Another simple and quick strawberry cheesecake topping involves using fresh, whole strawberries. Choose the prettiest-looking strawberries from a carton. Remove the hulls and arrange the berries on top of the cheesecake in an appealing pattern, perhaps around the outside of the cake or stacked in the center. You can also slice the berries thinly and layer them on top of the cheesecake. If you have time, you can coat the strawberries in a glaze to add shine to the cheesecake.
You may find that the best strawberry cheesecake topping is a homemade strawberry sauce. A strawberry sauce can be made by heating either fresh or frozen berries with water, starch, and sugar until the berries break down and a thick sauce forms. The sauce can then be drizzled over the cheesecake. Add the sauce to the cake right before serving to prevent it from becoming soggy.
If you do not have time to make a cooked strawberry cheesecake topping but still want a homemade sauce, you may puree the strawberries with a small amount of water and sugar. As the puree will be slightly chunky, you may want to strain it through a sieve to remove large pieces before pouring it over top of the cheesecake.
Sometimes a combination of whole fruit and a sauce or puree may be the best topping for cheesecake. Use fresh strawberries for the whole pieces of fruit and pour the prepared topping over them. You can combine canned fruit topping with fresh strawberries to improve the taste without adding too much work or time to the recipe.
