Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a 9-inch springform pan with two sheets of parchment paper, one overlapping on top the other, in an “x”, pressing into the edges and up the sides, letting the excess hang over the edge. Press the paper down to lie flat, but don’t worry about creases in the paper as it adds character to this rustic cheesecake. Place the pan on a baking sheet for easy movement.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until very smooth, about three minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Sift in the flour and combine well.

With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the cream. Once it’s all added, scrape down the bowl, and mix on low speed until smooth and well combined, about 30 seconds more. Tap the bowl on the counter several times to help remove any air bubbles in the batter. You can pop them with the tip of a knife or a toothpick.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap again to remove bubbles.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheesecake is very puffy and the top is dark brown. It will be jiggly. Place the cheesecake on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. (The cake will fall as it cools.)

Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least eight hours or up to two days.

Remove the sides of the springform pan and gently peel back the parchment paper from the cheesecake before slicing.

Make this topping very close to when you will be serving the cheesecake, so the strawberries stay bright.

Place the strawberries in a non-reactive bowl, and sprinkle with the sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve for a few minutes.

Spoon the caramel glaze and lemon juice over the strawberries and toss gently with a spatula, and spoon over the cheesecake. Or eat it right out of the bowl! Enjoy!