VelvetVanilla Cheesecake Bars
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
A dense cream-cheese filling baked over a buttery graham-cracker crust in a square pan, then chilled until cold and firm enough to cut into neat squares. A little lemon juice and vanilla keep the filling bright instead of flat and sweet.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Line the pan. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 163°C (143°C fan). Fold two long sheets of foil so each is 20 cm wide, then lay them in a 20 cm square baking pan perpendicular to each other, pushing the foil into the corners and up the sides with extra hanging over the edges. Grease the foil.
- 2
Press and bake the crust. Process the graham crackers in a food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, flour and salt and pulse until combined, about 10 pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into the pan and press firmly into an even layer. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until fragrant and just starting to brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- 3
Beat the filling. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, 1-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Gradually add the sugar and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- 4
Bake the filling. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and spread into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the edges are set but the centre still jiggles slightly - about 63-66°C in the middle, a touch cooler than a full New York cheesecake.
- 5
Cool and chill. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan on the wire rack, about 2 hours, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- 6
Lift out and cut. Lift the cheesecake out of the pan using the foil overhang and peel back the foil. Cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts.
Storage
Keep the bars refrigerated once chilled; well wrapped, they keep for about 5 days. Uncut bars can be frozen for up to 1 month - thaw wrapped bars at room temperature for about 4 hours before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Free sugars
12.4 g per serving
24.8 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 49.6 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- food processor
- 20 cm square metal baking pan
- aluminium foil
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- rubber spatula
- wire cooling rack
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
- flat-bottomed glass or measuring jug, for pressing the crust
- sharp knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 230 kcal |
| Protein | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.8 g |
| of which sugars | 13.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 12.4 g |
| Fat | 16.1 g |
| of which saturates | 9.1 g |
| Fibre | 0.3 g |
| Salt | 0.4 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
