Strawberry Basil Cheesecake Bars Recipes

NO-BAKE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• For the cookie crust: Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
• Whisk together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. Press the cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, 45 to 60 minutes.
• For the cheesecake filling: While the cookie crust chills, add the cream cheese, strawberries, sugar and vanilla to a blender. Blend mixture starting at low speed and bring it up to high until smooth. (If needed, use the tamper to push all the ingredients down towards the blades. This will ensure everything is blended evenly and smoothly.) Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add half of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold in using a rubber spatula. Repeat with remaining whipped cream.
• Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled crust, spread and smooth with a spatula.
• Freeze the cheesecake for at least 4 hours. Use the parchment overhang to remove cheesecake from the pan and use a hot knife to cut into 9 bars. Keep frozen and put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
• To serve the bars, place the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a rosette of whipped cream on top of each bar. Gently place the blueberries and strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• TO BEGIN: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray with vegetable oil spray.
• FOR THE CRUST: Process cracker pieces and sugar in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add flour and salt and pulse to combine, about 2 pulses. Add melted butter and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened, about 10 pulses.
• Using your hands, press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Using bottom of dry measuring cup, firmly pack crust into pan. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely. (Allowing to cool completely is very important to the end result.).
• FOR THE FILLING: In clean, dry processor bowl, process cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated, about 30 seconds total. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add vanilla and process to combine, about 10 seconds. Pour cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. Bake until center is almost set but still jiggles slightly when pan is shaken, about 45 minutes.
• FOR THE TOPPING: Meanwhile, in clean, dry processor bowl, process 6 ounces strawberries and ½ cup sugar until pureed, about 30 seconds. Stir strawberry puree and sour cream in bowl until combined.
• Remove cheesecake from oven. Pour strawberry mixture over cheesecake (cheesecake layer should be completely covered). Return pan to oven and bake until topping is just set, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer pan to wire rack and let cheesecake cool completely, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Slice remaining 5 strawberries thin and gently toss with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl. Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 24 squares. Garnish each square with 1 strawberry slice and serve.

STRAWBERRY BASIL CHEESECAKE BARS

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.

STRAWBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray.
• BLEND strawberries in blender container until smooth. Transfer to saucepan; add cornstarch. Cook and stir until thickened. Cool.
• COMBINE graham cracker crumbs and butter in small bowl; press firmly into bottom of prepared pan.
• BEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Pour over crust.
• DROP strawberry mixture by spoonfuls over batter. Gently swirl with knife or spatula.
• BAKE 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool. Chill. Cut into bars.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they form fine crumbs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Add the salt and pulse briefly to combine, then add the melted butter and pulse until uniformly incorporated. Press the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan and wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crust has browned slightly and appears set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Make the filling: In a medium pot, toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries begin to soften and the mixture becomes juicy, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the firmness of the berries. Cool for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the strawberries and their juices to the food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the berry purée to a large bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups/250 grams granulated sugar and the cream cheese to the food processor bowl and blend until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
• Add the vanilla and pulse to combine. Scrape the custard into the berry purée and stir to combine. The batter should be a pale pink. If it's not, add 3 to 5 drops red food coloring and mix to combine. Pour the cheesecake custard into the cooled crust.
• Bake the cheesecake until the edges appear set and the center still appears slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then refrigerate until firm (at least 4 hours, and up to overnight).
• Make the topping: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioners' sugar to medium peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on the chilled cheesecake in an even layer. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top. (Arranging them in stripes makes it a bit easier to cut rows out of the bars later.) Use a sharp knife to release the edges of the cheesecake from the pan. Slice into 15 even pieces, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the clean, sharp edges.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• In a medium bowl, combine cake mix and pecans.
• Drizzle melted butter over mixture; stir until well blended.
• Press mixture into bottom of a greased 9x13 baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
• Spread cream cheese mixture over crust.
• "Nuke" jam for about 45 seconds until thinned.
• Spoon over cream cheese mixture.
• Use a fork to swirl over cream cheese.
• I bake for 25 minutes or until edges begin to brown lightly.
• Do not over-bake or your crust will become a rock.
• Cool in pan for about 30 minutes.
• Cover and chill for about 2 hours.
• Personal note- When I want them to look fancy, I trim about ½ inch off all sides although the crust is my favorite part.

STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper and spray the paper.
• Stir to combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Press evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the cream cheese and remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and add the eggs one at a time, making sure not to overbeat the batter.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the rum, flour and triple sec until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the strawberry puree, making sure to swirl the strawberries throughout. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cheesecake is just set but still slightly jiggly in the center, 38 to 42 minutes.
• Let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Cut into bars and top with whipped cream, sliced strawberries and mint sprigs.