Blueberry-Cream Cheese Bars

I like cheesecake topped with berries, even the saucy, goopy, sugary ones. Having only done cheesecake bars once before, the ones that kickstarted the idea of doing cheesecake in the first place, Rhubarb-Cranberry Ginger Cream Cheese Bars, it might be nice to do one that is more along the lines of a traditional cheesecake.

Blueberry-Cream Cheese Bars
from Cooking Club of America
click to print

CRUST
2 1/3 c graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c butter, melted
1/4 c powdered sugar

FILLING
2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten

TOPPING
2 1/2 c blueberries
3/4 c sugar
1/3 c all-purpose flour
6 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine all crust ingredients in medium bowl.


Press mixture firmly into bottom of 13x9-inch pan.


Beat all filling ingredients in large bowl at medium-high speed until smooth.

Dang it! The filling turned out lumpy! Avoid this by creaming room temperature cheese by it's lonesome, then beat in sugar and eggs.

Pour into crust.


Bake 20 minutes or until filling is set in center and slightly puffed around edges.


Meanwhile, cook all topping ingredients except lemon juice in large saucepan over medium heat 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally; cool.


It looks pretty crazy right up until it becomes recognizable as the equivalent of pie filling from a can.

Stir in lemon juice; spoon over filling.



The recipe didn't say so, but you'll do yourself a favor if you can stand to let these cool to room temperature and then chill them a few hours before cutting. I waited exactly 17 minutes; the cheese was still really relaxed and the blueberry sauce wanted to run everywhere. Either way, unlike the Rhubarb-Cranberry bars, you won't be able to cut a bar and hand-carry it while eating anywhere.

As for flavor, it's great! Just a simple cheesecake but with greater crust and berry to cheese ratio. It might let you trick yourself into thinking these bars are healthier for you than a regular cheesecake, but you might find that you're eating two or maybe three bars over a couple hours.

Cost:

• graham cracker crumbs: $3.49
• butter: $0.39
• powdered sugar: $0.05
• cream cheese: $2.98
• sugar: $0.72
• eggs: $0.63
• blueberries: $2.41
• all-purpose flour: $0.08
• lemon: $0.69

Total: $11.44 or $0.95 for each of 12 servings.

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