Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars

I made these a few weeks ago for my viewers over on Instagram to test them, because when I have an idea I love to bring it forth right then or I never will. Everyone LOVED these bars they were gone in literally two days, and my supporters on instead voted that I share a video and the recipe. :) So without further adieu here are my Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars! (click here to see my Youtube Tutorial!)

Serves: 12 people

Baking/Cooking Dish(es): 11x7 square baking pan, sauce pot, a large baking dish for water bath to hold cheesecake

Baking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Shortbread Cookie Base

2 sticks of softened, room temperature butter

1 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 1/4 cup of All Purpose flour, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter your 11x7 pan and line the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. Also, get a pan similar or just a pan to hold water and place in your oven(yes, this is a water bath this reduces cracking!)

2. Then, start by creaming the butter and vanilla together for 3 minutes until its lighter in color. Stir the dry ingredients together: salt, powdered sugar, and flour in a bowl. Then, pour half of it into your butter mixture until fully combined, then do the same with the last half.

3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge while you prepare everything else.

(After things are prepared then do these steps below!)

1. Press into your line baking pan evenly all across the bottom only. Dock(or prick) with a fork your short bread base(this allows the air to escape, and also so it wont rise too much in the oven).

2. Bake in your preheat oven for 10 minutes exactly(you're not looking for any sort of color rather for it to just set. This also creates that Lemon Bar like cookie crust! YUM!), then allow it to cool on a cooling rack.

Strawberry Coulis

1 pound of strawberries(16 oz)

¼ cup of granulated sugar

Small pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon of strawberry extract(optional, it just adds a deeper strawberry flavor)

1. Pour all of your ingredients into a sauce pot and cook until thickened an bubbly. Remove about half of the mixture, reserve and set it aside to let it cool. For the remaining mixture carefully pour into a blender(or you can use a hand blender) and blend until smooth. Set aside to let cool.

Lemon Curd

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup of whole milk

1/4 stick of butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/4 cup of cornstarch

2 lemons juiced (1 lemon zested, reserved for cheesecake layer) should equal 1/2 cup of lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1. Start by heating the milk and vanilla on the stove at medium heat. Meanwhile, beat your eggs, sugar, salt, and cornstarch together for two minutes until its thickened slightly, yet still fluid, and pale in color. Next, pour in your lemon juice and stir together.

2. Carefully, pour the milk in the egg mixture while stirring vigorously.

3. Pour the mixture back into your sauce pot, making sure to get everything out. Cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes while stirring. At the end, add in your pad of butter. Strain through a fine sieve.

4. Cover with plastic wrap(make sure the plastic wrap is touching the curd so it wont form a skin!).

Cheesecake Layer

2 sticks of softened cream cheese

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon of strawberry extract

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/4 cup of whipping cream

2 tablespoon of all purpose flour

the reserved lemon zest should equate to 1 teaspoon

pinch of salt

1. Cream the cream cheese together for a few minutes until fluffy. Next, steadily add in your sugar until every bit of sugar is combined(ensure to scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is combined!).

2. After that, add in your eggs, vanilla and strawberry extract, sour cream, heavy cream, salt and flour. Mix until smooth, and there aren't any huge lumps.

Building the cheesecake bars

1. Pour all of your cheesecake batter into your cooled shortbread crust. Dollop some lemon curd and strawberry coulis all over, then swirl, then repeat. Lastly, add in your reserved strawberries that have not been pureed.

2. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes with your prepared water bath. Once baked all the way through and when you checked it with no wet batter on your fork and slightly jiggly in the middle,(and it's golden brown) let it cool on a cooling rack for one hour. Then, let it cool in your fridge 6-8 hours or overnight. I prefer overnight this yields the best results!

3. Enjoy!