Cheesecake Bars

Sincere apologies for the lengthy break, I didn't mean to. I did miss blogging while I was away.


The thing is, my grandma passed away. She was so dear to me, it still pains me now when I realise she's gone. Luckily we were all around her in her last moments and have had a share of her love and kindness. She really was one of a kind.


While I'm writing this, I cant help thinking about her love for a piece of sponge cake whilst still warm from the oven. Will be doing the victoria sponge cake post soon.

But now, for my first (fashionably late) entry of 2011, I bring you Strawberry-vanilla cheesecake bars which has been patiently waiting on my to-bake list for a while!

With a chocolate digestive crumb base, a creamy vanilla cheesecake filling and a ruby red strawberry jelly glaze, it was striking in a simple form.

These bars were made for a friend who had just returned from overseas and I knew she loved my sweet treats! I can confirm that they were well received and enjoyed by the recipient and her husband.

I chose to make a baked cheesecake so the filling would be more firmer. It was the safe option seeing that I would need to pour quite warm, if not hot, strawberry jelly on top.

The jelly didn't seep into the cheesecake filling, unlike all the nightmares I was imagining. It came out surprisingly quite well. Probably next time, I will play around with flavours and colours and maybe even try mini bites to put in cupcake cases but soo glad I can tick that off the list now, phew!

I'm back to blogging now so hope to catch up on all the blogs soon. xx 

Find the recipe after the jump

Strawberry-vanilla cheesecake (source: BBC GoodFood)

Ingredients:
8 digestive biscuits

50g butter , melted
600g cream cheese
2 tbsp plain flour
175g caster sugar
vanilla extract
2 eggs , plus 1 yolk
142ml pot soured cream

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Crush the biscuits in a food processor (or put in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Mix with the butter. Press into a 20cm springform tin (or as I did, in a 9 x9 square cake tin lined with greaseproof paper coming over the edge so it will be easy to lift out) and bake for 5 minutes, then cool.

2. Beat the cream cheese with the flour, sugar, a few drops of vanilla, eggs, the yolk and soured cream until light and fluffy. Pour into the tin. Bake for 40 minutes and then check, it should be set but slightly wobbly in the centre. Leave in the tin to cool and refrigerate overnight.

3. Dissolve a packet of strawberry jelly with just boiled water in a glass jug and stir. Leave to cool slightly, and pour over the chilled cheesecake. Once jelly has set, lift the greaseproof paper with the cheesecake and slice into oblong pieces. You will need to wipe the knife after every slice. And voila!