Part cheesecake, blueberry, and lemon, this Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bar is what your summer needs. A graham cracker base is paired with a delicious cheesecake filling. With a tart Lemon Curd that is swirled into the blueberries, this is certainly a stunning dessert.
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bar
Makes 9
Ingredients
- 16 whole graham crackers (240 grams) crushed
- ¼ cup (55 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (57 grams) water
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) unflavored gelatin
- 2 (8-ounce) packages (450 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 (14-ounce) can (396 grams) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon (3 grams) lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups (340 grams) fresh blueberries
- ¼ cup (80 grams) Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with plastic wrap, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and vanilla, stirring until moistened. Using a measuring cup, press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Freeze while preparing fi lling.
- Place ¼ cup (57 grams) water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over water, and let stand for 10 minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.
- In the container of a blender, place cream cheese, condensed milk, and lemon zest and juice; blend until combined and smooth. Add blueberries, and blend until uniform in color. (Some blueberry bits will remain.) With blender running, add warm gelatin mixture, blending until well combined. Pour fi lling over prepared crust.
- Place Lemon Curd in a plastic piping bag, and cut off tip. Pipe Lemon Curd in thin lines over fi lling. Using a wooden pick, swirl Lemon Curd. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Using excess plastic as handles, remove cheesecake from pan, and cut into bars.
Lemon Curd
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (120 grams) fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 2 large egg yolks (37 grams)
- 1 tablespoon (2 grams) fi nely grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup (57 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
- Place a fi ne-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside.
- In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add lemon juice, whisking until cornstarch is dissolved. Add eggs, egg yolks, and zest, whisking until well combined.
- Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk vigorously until mixture has a pudding-like consistency, about 1 minute more.
- Press curd through prepared sieve into medium bowl. Whisk in butter, 1 to 2 cubes at a time, letting each cube melt before adding another. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled and set, at least 1 hour.
