Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray. Place the crust in the pie pan and gently prick the crust on the bottom with a fork. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the pie crust and gently fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Once baked, remove the parchment and pie weights and set the pre-baked crust on the counter to cool while preparing the cream cheese filling mixture.
In a medium-sized bowl, using a hand mixer on medium-high speed, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the water and gelatin. Gently swirl the gelatin around, making sure that it is completely absorbed by the water. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using another medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, blend the cream cheese for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing for 1½ to 2 minutes or until no lumps remain. Start your mixer on low, then work up to medium-high speed.
Heat the bowl with the gelatin and water mixture in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Give it a good stir making sure that there are no lumps remaining. While your mixer is on low speed, pour the warm gelatin into the bowl of the cream cheese mixture. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes or until completely combined.
Gently fold the whipped heavy cream into the cream cheese mixture just until everything is evenly incorporated.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of the crust. Refrigerate the cream cheese pie base while you prepare the strawberry topping.
Topping
Prepare your fresh strawberries by rinsing them in cool water and then patting them completely dry. Remove the green tops, cut the berries into ¼-inch slices, and place them into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the water and unflavored gelatin. Gently swirl to make sure that all the gelatin is mixed with the water. Let it sit for about 2 to 3 minutes to thicken.
In a microwave-safe bowl (a glass 2 cup measure works great for this), place the seedless strawberry jam and microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Once warm, give it a whisk to loosen it up and make it smooth and pourable.
Once the jam is hot and smooth, add the gelatin mixture to the jam and whisk again until it is completely incorporated and no lumps remain.
Pour the jam mixture over the sliced berries and gently combine, making sure that all the berries are coated.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator; using a slotted spoon, spoon the berry mixture gently over the cheesecake filling, being careful not to get too much extra liquid on the pie.
Place the pie back in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 5 hours (or up to overnight). While the pie is chilling, you can make the whipped topping for the garnish.
Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Fill a decorator's piping bag, or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with a small corner of the bag snipped off, with the whipped cream. Pipe small swirls at the edge of your pie just before serving. Note: Do not add the whipped topping until just before you are ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Unflavored gelatin can be easily found in the ‘Jello’ section of your local grocery store. You can also use INSTANT Clearjel instead of gelatin. Just follow the package instructions.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your pie crust as the suggested baking time approaches.
If you do not have pie weights, you can use any type of dry beans instead, keeping in mind that once you use the beans in the oven as weights, you can not use them to cook in a recipe. You can, however, store them in a container, such as a mason jar, in the pantry and re-use them for pie weights as needed.
Make sure your cream cheese is room temperature, or you will end up with lumps in the creamy filling.