Creamy Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Strawberry Sauce
01 -
1½ cups (200g) fresh strawberries, trimmed and sliced into quarters
02 -
2 tablespoons (25g) regular sugar
03 -
2 teaspoons (5g) cornstarch
04 -
2 teaspoons (10ml) fresh lemon juice
→ Crumble Topping
05 -
½ cup (71g) plain flour
06 -
2 tablespoons (25g) white sugar
07 -
1 tablespoon (15g) dark brown sugar, tightly packed
08 -
3 tablespoons (42g) melted salted butter
09 -
1 tablespoon powdered freeze-dried strawberries (from about ⅓ cup/10g dried slices)
→ Base
10 -
1½ cups (170g) ground digestive biscuits or crackers (about 10 biscuits)
11 -
2 tablespoons (30g) packed dark brown sugar
12 -
4 tablespoons (56g) melted unsalted butter
→ Cheesecake Mixture
13 -
1 block (250g) softened cream cheese
14 -
⅓ cup (65g) sugar
15 -
1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla essence
16 -
1 large room temperature egg
17 -
2 oz (56ml) cooled melted white chocolate
18 -
⅔ cup (160ml) cold strawberry sauce
19 -
2 teaspoons (6g) plain flour
20 -
1 teaspoon powdered freeze-dried strawberries
# Instructions:
01 -
In a small saucepan, heat strawberries with sugar for 3 minutes to soften. Blend lemon juice with cornstarch to make a slurry. Stir it into the strawberries and cook until it thickens. Let it fully cool before chilling in the fridge.
02 -
Use parchment paper to line an 8x8-inch pan, allowing some extra to hang over the edges. Set the oven to 350°F to preheat.
03 -
Mix flour and sugars in a bowl. Pour melted butter and mix until clumpy bits form. Rest for 10 minutes. Scatter onto a baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes at 350°F, tossing halfway until golden. Cool fully, then blend in strawberry powder.
04 -
Use a food processor to turn biscuits and brown sugar into fine crumbs. Stir melted butter in until it holds together. Push the mixture into the pan, pressing it up the sides slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes until colored lightly. Drop oven to 325°F.
05 -
Blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Toss in the egg, followed by the melted chocolate and mix again. Stir in strawberry sauce, powdered strawberry, and flour, blending until creamy.
06 -
Pour the cheesecake mixture onto your prepared base. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until just set. Gently sprinkle most of the crumble topping while warm and press it in lightly. Pop it back into the oven for 3 minutes to let the topping stick.
07 -
Let the dessert cool fully on a rack. Sprinkle leftover crumble on top, store in the fridge for 2 hours, and then cut into squares to serve.
# Notes:
01 -
You can bake the crumble and crust at the same time
02 -
Don't bake crumble with strawberry powder too long or it'll over-darken
03 -
Digestive biscuits can be swapped for graham crackers