Preheat oven to 375°F.

Tear off two large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using a 9-inch springform pan, set the pan on the first piece of foil and bring the foil up around the sides of the pan. Repeat with the second piece of foil. Be sure that the foil is tightly wrapped around the edges of the pan to ensure that no water from the water bath seeps into the pan as the cheesecake bakes.

Place a parchment paper round into the bottom of the springform pan, then spray the bottom and sides of the pan with baker’s spray. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter together until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Firmly press the graham cracker crust mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared springform pan.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set the springform pan into a large roasting pan to cool as you make the cheesecake filling.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Start the water to boil for the water bath.

To make the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the cream cheese is fully and evenly combined.

With the mixer on low, add the vanilla extract and eggs, one egg at a time, beating just until each egg has been incorporated. You do not want to over-mix or incorporate too many air bubbles into the cheesecake batter.

Add the sour cream and heavy whipping cream to the cheesecake batter and mix on low just until fully incorporated.

Remove half of the cheesecake batter from the large mixing bowl and add it to a separate bowl. Set aside.

Stir in the strawberry syrup and optional strawberry extract, if using it, to the cheesecake batter remaining in the original mixing bowl until the batter is uniformly colored light pink. You should not have any white streaks remaining.

Pour the strawberry-flavored cheesecake batter into the graham cracker crust and spread it into an even layer.

Very slowly and carefully add the plain cheesecake batter to the top of the strawberry cheesecake layer. You can use a large spoon to gently spoon the batter over the strawberry layer so as not to combine the two layers. Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the plain cheesecake layer so that it bakes evenly.

Place the roasting pan with the cheesecake into the middle rack of the oven. Slowly pour the boiling water into the pan until it comes up about one inch on the side of the springform pan. Be very careful not to get any water into the cheesecake batter.

Bake the strawberries and cream cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until set. The cheesecake should not look like a liquid but should wobble just a bit in the pan when nudged. It will continue to cook as it cools.

At the end of the cooking time, turn off the oven, crack the oven door open (1-2 inches at most), and leave the cheesecake in the oven to sit for one hour. The cheesecake will finish cooking as the oven cools.

After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for an hour, remove the roasting pan from the oven, then remove the springform pan from the aluminum foil. Carefully run a sharp knife, with a thin blade, around the edges of the cheesecake to make sure it is not sticking to the sides of the pan (which would cause cracks in the cheesecake as it cools).

Refrigerate the strawberries and cream cheesecake for a minimum of 8 hours, but preferably overnight, to ensure that the cheesecake chills and sets up completely before slicing.

When ready to serve, garnish the cheesecake by placing the thawed whipped topping into a large piping bag fitted with a large piping tip and dollop ten decorative dollops around the edges of the cheesecake. Place a fresh whole strawberry into the center of each whipped cream dollop. Slice the cheesecake so each slice has the whipped cream and a strawberry.