STRAWBERRY BASIL CHEESECAKE BARS

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Strawberry Basil Cheesecake Bars image

I came up with this recipe as a creative way to use some basil. The shortbread crust also provides a different spin on traditional cheesecake bars.

Provided by Meghan O

Categories     Dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 1 9x13 pan, 24 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

10 ounces strawberries, washed, de-stemmed, and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons water, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided (1/4 for sauce, 1/2 for crust, 1/2 for filling)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1/2 a lemon)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
basil (10-15 leaves)
14 tablespoons butter (1 and 3/4 sticks)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 3/4-2 cups flour
1.5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese or 1.5 (8 ounce) packages neufchatel cheese
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Steps:

  • For Strawberry Basil Sauce:.
  • Place strawberries, 2 T water, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), and a pinch of salt into a sauce pot and bring to boil over medium-low heat.
  • Whisk 2T water with 1T cornstarch and add to strawberry mixture.
  • Add basil leaves to strawberry mixture.
  • Use an immersion blender or transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Return to sauce pot.
  • Adjust basil, lemon, and sugar amounts to desired levels.
  • Reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until reduced to about 1 cup of thick sauce (a little thinner than the consistency of honey).
  • Let sauce cool.
  • For Crust:.
  • Cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar.
  • Add the salt and 1 3/4 cup flour to sugar mixture and combine until the dough is well mixed. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour as needed to form dough.
  • With floured hands, dump dough into a greased 9x13 pan and press to form crust.
  • Let the dough chill for 15-20 minutes (about the time it takes for the oven to preheat).
  • Bake crust at 350 until barely brown (10-12 min), let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
  • For Cheese Filling:.
  • Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth.
  • Blend in eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
  • To Assemble:.
  • Pour cream cheese mixture over crust.
  • Drop spoonfuls of strawberry sauce onto the top and use a knife to cut through the cheese layer to create a swirl appearance.
  • Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until the outer edges are set, but the middle is still slightly jiggles.
  • Let cool on the counter before transferring to the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 202.6, Fat 13.1, SaturatedFat 7.7, Cholesterol 51.4, Sodium 163.4, Carbohydrate 19.5, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 11.7, Protein 2.6

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