Blueberry Cheesecake Bars….
This is the first baked cheesecake recipe I’ve ever made, and all I can think is… why did I wait so long?!
To make this luscious dessert, I use half the quantity of cream cheese that you would normally use. It gives the cheesecake a lighter texture- one that’s much easier to eat. I originally started by using the Kraft sour cream topped cheesecake recipe, however, I was oblivious to the fact that I was actually using less cream cheese than required (I had no sense of conversions when I was 9- my bad!).
I find cheesecake to have a subtle flavor- perfect to enjoy with fresh berries. Blueberry topping is my firm favorite to be eaten with cheesecake, and I guarantee you that this cheesecake is absolutely fabulous. I recommend checking out this regular blueberry cheesecake recipe as well!
I recommend making this blueberry cheesecake bars recipe in a rectangular or square pan so that you can trim off the edges. Because there is less cream cheese in the batter, it tends to sink slightly, which is inevitable if you bake it in a circular pan. By using a rectangular pan, you will be able to trim off the edges so that you cannot distinguish the fact that it has sunk (ever so slightly). Also, if you line your pan with tinfoil, it most definitely will not. One more thing- no cracks! So behold: a lighter version of a cheesecake, my Blueberry Cheesecake Bars recipe!
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Almost as beautiful as they are delicious!
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 450 g cream cheese (2 x 8 oz packages)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the crust:
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup cookie crumbs, digestive biscuits, gingersnaps, graham crackers- your choice
- For the sour-cream topping:
- ½ cup sour cream, low fat or regular
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F or 160 C.
- In a 8×8 square pan or 7×11 inch rectangular pan lined with foil, mix together the butter, sugar, and cookie crumbs. Pat the mixture down evenly onto the tray using a measuring cup or your fingers (you can prebake the crust for around 10 min in a 350 degree oven. This ensures a crispier and less soggier crust- totally optional!).
- Beat the cream cheese with the vanilla until fluffy. Add the sugar, and beat till it resembles the consistency of frosting. Add the eggs in one by one- just until incorporated. It is a cheesecake, so the denser, the better.
- Pour the mixture onto the crust and bake for 1-1.5 hours or until the center no longer jiggles, or jiggles very little- the tester inserted method does NOT work here!
- Combine all the ingredients for the sour cream topping.
- Take the cheesecake out of the oven, and spread the sour cream mixture evenly over the top.
- Put the cheesecake back into the oven for an additional 10 min.
- Cool COMPLETELY in the fridge for 4-5 hours.
- Top with your desired topping, tastes great with the blueberry topping! (see below)
For the blueberry topping:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 3/4 cup of blueberries with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add 2 tbsp sugar, bring the mixture to a boil. Switch off the heat, and add 3/4 cups of additional blueberries, and cool completely. Add in a little bit of water before using if you want a thinner consistency. Once you’ve topped it on the cheesecake, eat immediately.
