Lemon Cheesecake Bars
- Graham Cracker Crust baking time: 10 minutes
- Filling baking time: 20 minutes
- Cooling time in oven: 30 minutes
- Cooling time on rack: 30 minutes
- Refrigeration time: 4 hours or overnight
- Glaze added and refrigerated: 1 hour
Ingredients
Baking Pan:
- One 9 x 13 sheet pan or 9 x 13 oblong cake pan
- Foil
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons packed finely ground graham crackers (about 18 squares)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake Ingredients:
- 2 (8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ tablespoons flour
- Zest from 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg white (set aside yolk)
- 1 large egg
Lemon Glaze:
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk
Ingredients
(serves 4)
Section
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cover the bottom and sides of a baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure the foil wraps over the rim; set aside.
- Make the graham cracker crust:
- Finely grind up graham crackers. The finer they are ground the easier it will be to mix them with the sugar and butter and then press into the pan.
- You can grind the crumbs by placing them in a ziploc plastic bag and rolling them with a rolling pin, or by processing them in a food processor. NOTE: If you do not want to grind your own graham cracker crumbs, some grocery stores sell pre-ground graham cracker crumbs.
- Place the graham cracker crumbs in a medium-sized bowl.
- Whisk in the sugar.
- Pour melted butter over the crumbs and using a spatula or large spoon mix well.
- Press mixture firmly against the bottom of the foil lined pan.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until dark golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Turn oven down to 325°.
- Make the lemon cheesecake filling:
- Beat cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, flour, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and vanilla in a large work bowl until blended.
- Add 1 egg white and 1 whole egg; mixing on low until just blended. NOTE: Save egg yolk in a small mixing bowl, cover and refrigerate for use in lemon glaze.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked crust.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until center is almost set when pierced with a knife.
- TURN OFF OVEN.
- Prop open the oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the cheesecake from the oven and place pan on a rack to cool completely; about 30 minutes.
- Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Prepare the lemon glaze:
- Lightly beat reserved egg yolk in a small mixing bowl with a fork until blended and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
- Whisk in water and 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- On medium heat, bring mixture just to a boil stirring constantly and cook until clear and thickened.
- Remove lemon mixture from heat.
- While whisking, add 2 tablespoons of the lemon mixture to the egg yolk until incorporated.
- Add the yolk and lemon mixture into the saucepan stirring constantly.
- Turn the heat back on to medium and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat and allow the lemon glaze to cool slightly.
- Using a spatula, spread the glaze over the lemon cheesecake.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
- Use a long cake knife to cut the bars into 2-inch squares.
- Use a spatula to remove bars to a serving platter.
- Serve and enjoy!
Comments
Makes 12 bars.Unused portions can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days.
The cheesecake filling is melt in the mouth smooth with a burst of lemon flavor. Serve these versatile bites of heaven after an elegant dinner or as an afternoon snack.