Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Indulge in these creamy, rich blueberry cheesecake bars, perfect for parties and gatherings. They are a must-make for cheesecake lovers, with amazingly luscious filling and dollops of homemade sweet and tart blueberry topping. Plus, they are easier to make and serve!
Servings: 16 bars
Ingredients
Blueberry Jam
- 1 cup (150 g) blueberry
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice , add less if you prefer it milder
Base
- 1 ½ cup (150 g) digestive biscuits crumbs
- ¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- zest of 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup (80 g) unsalted butter , melted
Filling
- 16 oz (450 g) full fat cream cheese , room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (340 g) sour cream , room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 3 tablespoon (24 g) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) without the fan, and set the rack to the middle-lower position. Line a 9-inch (23cm) square pan with parchment paper.
The Base
- Add biscuit crumbs, desiccated coconut, and butter in a bowl. Mix well using a spatula. Pour into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely before continuing. Meanwhile, set the oven temperature to 285ºF (140ºC).
Blueberry Jam
- While the base is cooling, make the jam. Add blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot. Bring it to a gentle boil, and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the blueberries start to break down, press them with the back of a spatula so you don't end up with big fruit pieces. Cool completely before using.
Filling
- Use the lowest speed on a mixer for this process and scrape the sides of the bowl now and then for better mixing. Add the cream cheese to a bowl and whisk for one minute until creamy. Add sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, all-purpose flour and mix for another 1-2 minutes.
- In another bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add them to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold everything together.
Bake
- Pour the filling into the pan and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Spoon dollops of blueberry jam on top and create swirls using a toothpick. Bake for 50-55 minutes until the edges are set, and the center wiggles when lightly shaking the pan.
- Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours to enhance flavor and achieve a creamier texture. Bring it to room temperature 15-30 minutes before serving. Enjoy your blueberry cheesecake!
Notes
- Use ingredients at room temperature. This is important so they mix better with each other.
- Don't overmix the eggs and filling mixture. This prevents air from being incorporated, reducing the likelihood of cracked cheesecakes. Use the mixer on the lowest speed, and remember to occasionally scrape the bowl's sides for better mixing.
- Bake at low temperature. This will bake our blueberry cheesecake bars more gently, even without using the water bath method, and prevent it from cracking. Make sure to use the accurate oven temperature. I use a portable oven thermometer every time I bake.
- Substitute desiccated coconut for an additional ½ cup (50g) of biscuit crumbs, if preferred.
Nutrition
Calories: 330.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.2g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 22.7g | Saturated Fat: 13.4g | Cholesterol: 83.5mg | Sodium: 183.5mg | Potassium: 129.3mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 21.7g | Calcium: 65.2mg | Iron: 0.8mg
