cheesecake – Grapefruit Grace

Sweet Strawberry compote on creamy cheesecake with a crunchy Oreo cookie base! you’ll love these dessert bars just as much as you’ll love designing them with those swirls!

About this recipe:

do you ever just want to make cheesecake but dont want to buy roughly 30 oz of creamcheese? or do you crave cheesecake but know you do not need an entire ceesecake? Well, this recipe give you the best of both worlds! Cheesecake sraving solved (check) and a managable serving size that you’ll actually be able to finsh (check)

Cheesecake bars are for that cheesecake craving without having to make an entire cake size! portion control handled

What you will need:

–cream cheese and only one package! 8 0z (~226 g)

–yogurt: plain, strawberry, or greek all work well and about 1/2 is all that is needed. This ingredient allows us to use less cream cheese and make a creamier/smooth consistency

-granulated sugar: sugar is needed because cream cheese is quite tart and this addition will contour that taste! also it compliments the strawberry compote

–flour: with all this talk of creaminess we need a binding agent, thats where about 1/4 -1/2 cup flour comes in

–strawberries (fresh or frozen): for that delicious swirl!

–cornstarch/sugar : used to thicken that strawberries in the compote for the swirl

–vanilla extract: to sweeten the compote!

–Oreo cookies (in crumbs) / melted butter: to make that chocolatey cookie base for our cheesecake bars

To bake or not to bake? This recipe can be baked cheesecake or no bake. Your choice!

There are different flavours in baked cheesecake vs. no-bake. The cream cheese taste more sweet when it is a no bake recipe and that is why a lot of recipes are often “no- bake”. However, some like a subtle “New York style” cheesecake and that is where a baked option come in. This recipe can be either baked or none baked; your choice!

How Do I Get That Swirl?

Quite simply it just requires the compote to be placed in parallel lines which get swirled with a knife by dragging it in the opposite (perpendicular ) direction.

Tips for Success

-Use parchment paper to easily remove the bars. Otherwise the bars may burn and it may be challenging to cut them.

-Cream the cream cheese until fluffy and air incorporated do not skip this step!

-When baking the base it is okay if it seem under-baked, it will harder as it cools.

-Strain the compote to make sure the swirls are smooth not chunky with pulp

The Recipe:

Prep time	bake or chill time	Total time
15 mins	2 hours	2 hrs 15 mins

yields one 8×8 inch pan

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake bars with Oreo Base

Ingredients:

the base:

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups crumbs of crushed Oreo cookies
1/4 cup granulated sugar

the cake

8 0z cream cheese (~226 g)
1/2 cup yogurt (vanilla) *greek works too*
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

the compote

1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh strawberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Procedure:

preheat oven to 350 Degrees f and line a 8×8 inch pan with parchment. set aside.

if you have whole Oreo cookies place in a plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin or with a sauce pan until into crumbs. you will need 1 1/3 cups worth.

in a saucepan or in the microwave melt the butter. in a medium bowl combine the Oreo cookie crumbs and sugar then add the melted butter and mix well.

press the cookie mix into the parchment pan and try your best to make sure it is even. Bake for 8-10 mins. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer. beat until fluffy and smooth~ 5 mins.

Add the yogurt, sugar, vanilla and mix well until all are incorporated equally. add the flour and mix in completely. The batter is now complete!

Pour the batter onto of the cookie base once it is completely cooled. spread it around equally.

For the compote start by simmering the strawberries with about 1/4 cup of water (just enough to cover them) in a saucepan and shimmer on medium until soft. Using a fork or a masher, mash the strawberries until all their juice is extracted. Add the sugar and cornstarch and simmer for 5 minutes on low. Strain into a bowl and only use the strained (smooth) compote. the filling is now complete.

Now for the Swirl! firstly make rivets in parallel lines in the spots where you think the compote will go. Next pour the compote in to fill those small rivets. Perpendicular to those lines swirl with a knife. The patter is complete.