• Before you begin: Bring the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and heavy cream to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Move the bottom rack to the lowest position and place a second rack in the middle. Cut a parchment round for the bottom of the pan. The cheesecake bakes in a water bath at 335º F (the same temperature as the Classic Cheesecake recipe).

Making the Graham Cracker Crust

• Grind the graham crackers in a food processor, or roll them in a large zip-top bag with a rolling pin, until finely crushed.
• Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar in a medium bowl until the mixture holds together.
• Place a parchment round in the bottom of the 9" pan to prevent sticking (optional). Pour in the crumb mixture and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom and partway up the sides with a flat-bottomed measuring cup.
• Bake the crust for 5 minutes at 350º F, until you can smell it toasting, then let it cool.

Making the Cheesecake Filling

• Place the room-temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on low until extra smooth and no longer lumpy.
• Sprinkle in the granulated sugar while mixing on low until combined and smooth.
• Add the room-temperature sour cream, heavy cream, honey, salt, and vanilla extract while mixing on low. Scrape the bowl to make sure all the cream cheese is incorporated.
• Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, letting each fully combine before adding the next. Do not whip in air.
• Pour the filling into the cooled graham cracker crust.

Baking the Cheesecake

• Set up the water bath: place the 9" cheesecake pan inside a 10" cake pan (or wrap it in two layers of heavy-duty foil), then set it inside a larger roasting pan. Place everything on the lowest oven rack. Carefully pour hot water into the outer pan until it reaches about ¾ of the way up the sides of the cheesecake pan. (No-bath option: skip the bath and instead set a pan of hot water on the lowest rack with the cheesecake on the rack above it.)
• Bake at 335º F for about 60 minutes without opening the oven door. The cheesecake should be set but still slightly jiggly in the center, with an internal temperature of 150º F.
• If it has not reached 150º F or is still too jiggly in the center, keep baking in 10-minute increments until done.
• Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool inside for 60 more minutes to prevent cracking.
• Move the cheesecake to the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. Wait until it is fully cool to cover it with plastic wrap so condensation does not drip onto the top.
• Run a knife around the outside, or warm the outside of the pan with a kitchen torch, to release the cheesecake from the pan.

Making the Strawberry Topping

• Combine the frozen (or fresh if using all fresh) strawberries with the water, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until thickened and reduced by ⅓. Use a whisk to crush the berries into more of a sauce.
• Stir the ClearJel (or cornstarch) together with the cool water in a separate cup to make a slurry.
• Add the slurry to the simmering strawberries and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining strawberries. Let the topping cool completely (it thickens as it cools) before spooning it over the cheesecake.

Chocolate Curls

• Chop the chocolate and place it in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute and stir.
• Continue microwaving in short bursts until the chocolate is 75% melted, then stir off the heat until fully melted (a few unmelted bits are fine).
• Spread the chocolate in a thin, even layer on a stone countertop (granite or quartz) or the back of a metal sheet pan.
• Wait until the shine disappears and the surface goes matte (about 30 seconds).
• Push a bench scraper into the chocolate at a 45º angle to form curls.
• Lift the chilled cheesecake off the base onto a serving plate. Spoon the cooled strawberry topping over the top in an even layer, then pile the chocolate curls in the center right before serving.