Fruited Cheesecake Flag for July 4th!

This is pretty much the worst time to post this recipe (you know, since the 4th of July is over and all), but it's really a very versatile recipe for any day, and at least this way I can link back to it next year and suggest you make it then. :o)

This recipe is really very good... great crust, great cheesecake. It's originally from Martha Stewart, but the recipe on the MS website has some missing ingredient amounts and things, so I based mine off of this website.

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, who adapted it from here.

Ingredients:

3 c flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
12 oz (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
4 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 pint blueberries (about 1 or 2 cups), rinsed
1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled and sliced
2 pints raspberries (about 3 cups), rinsed
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Spray a 12x17 rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray (spray it well!!).
2. Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy (about 3 minutes). With the mixer running, slowly add the brown sugar, beating until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the flour mixture all at once, and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
4. Transfer the dough to the cookie sheet, and press it into and even layer that covers the bottom of the sheet. Refrigerate until firm (about 20-30 minutes). Preheat the over to 300.
5. Bake the dough until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Let it cool completely in the baking sheet. Adjust the oven temperature to 350.
6. While crust is cooling, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Reduce the speed to low and add the sugar. Scrape the bowl, then beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. Scrape the bowl again, then beat in the eggs ones at a time, mixing until incorporated.
7. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust and spread into an even layer.
8. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until the filling is set. Let the cheesecake cool in the cookie sheet, and then refrigerate until firm and cold (at least 4 hours).
9. Cut the cheesecake into 48 squares (8 columns by 6 rows). Decorate the top left squares (3 down and 4 across, 12 total squares) with a mound of blueberries (about 5 or 6) on each square. Use raspberries (about 4 per square) to decorate the 1st, 3rd, and 5th rows (the 1st and 3rd will be shorter since part of them will have blueberries already). Decorate the remaining rows with strawberry slices.
10. Right before serving, sift powdered sugar onto the strawberry rows. The easiest way to do this is to cover the surrounding rows with a paper towel, then sift, then move the paper towel. If you do this step too early, the powdered sugar will dissolve into the strawberries and they won't look white anymore!

Crust dough ready to go in the oven!

Cheesecake filling

Headed into the oven...

Finished cheesecake with fruit!

Right before serving - white rows are dusted with powdered sugar!

Happy Fourth of July!! Yummm!