Creamy New York Style Cheesecake

• Preheat oven to 300º. Use an oven thermometer, if available, for ultimate precision.
• Wrap a 10" springform pan in aluminum foil. Ensure that it is secure, and covers the entire bottom and sides. Generously coat the interior of the pan with butter.
• In an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, add cream cheese one block at a time. Beat until smooth, before adding the next block. Add the butter, and let the mixture continue to beat until smooth and combined. You may have to use a silicone spatula to push the mixture down, if it starts to climb the sides of your bowl.
• While continuing to beat, add eggs one at a time. Mix until blended and smooth, once again.
• Add sour cream, once eggs are completely incorporated. Mix until smooth.
• Add sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat for about 2 minutes more, to completely combine all ingredients. Your mixture should be thick, but silky smooth.
• Pour your cheesecake mixture into the springform pan, and place inside a roasting pan. Ensure the springform pan doesn't rest against the sides of the roasting pan. This is the base of your water bath.
• Place your roasting pan into the oven, and pour in boiling water, ensuring not to splash it into your batter.
• Bake for 1.5-2 hours, depending on your oven. I recommend checking after an hour and a half if your oven runs hot like mine does. Try to keep the oven door closed until this point, in order to keep the steam contained. To test for doneness, jiggle the cake slightly. The top should be a light brown, and the center should jiggle. If there is a ring of about 2" thick, which looks drier and more set, with a jiggle in the center, your cheesecake is done.
• Remove from oven, take the springform pan out of the water and aluminum foil, and set on a cooling rack. Allow to cool to room temperature, before removing the sides of the springform pan.
• Once cooled to room temperature, you may cover the cheesecake and set it in the fridge to chill. For best results, chill for 4 hours at least, but preferably overnight to achieve a perfectly set cheesecake. Top with macerated strawberries, and serve.

Optional Strawberry Sauce:

• Once cheesecake is in the oven, slice strawberries and add to a bowl. Use immersion blender to slightly macerate, so that you have a nice juicy consistency with some chunks of strawberry still present.
• Add sugar, depending on how sweet you'd like your mixture to be. Set in the fridge to chill until the cheesecake is ready to serve.