Tangy lemon-tinged cheesecake liberally dotted with fresh-picked blueberries, atop a buttery graham cracker crust... it's like summer in a square.
Ingredients
Crust/base:
2tablespoonssugar
9graham crackersabout one sleeve
1/4cup1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake filling:
16ouncescream cheeseroom temp
2eggs
1large lemonzested and juiced (you want approximately 3 tablespoons of lemon juice)
1/2cupgranulated sugar
1 1/2cupsblueberriesI recommend fresh, but frozen will work too
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Butter an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan, then press a square of parchment paper into the pan. This will help you lift out the finished product.
Make the crust: Place the graham crackers in a large Ziploc bag, and crush with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Pour in the 1/4 cup melted butter, and mix until well incorporated. Press into the baking pan. (You can also process the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter in a food processor, if you prefer.)
Bake the crust for about 12 minutes, or until it begins to turn golden brown. Let cool completely.
Mix the filling: Use a stand or hand mixer with a whisk attachment (if you have one), and beat together the cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar until smooth. You can also do this in a blender or food processor to help ensure a smooth consistency. I simply used my Kitchenaid stand mixer and the whisk attachment.
Pour and sprinkle: Pour the filling over the cooled graham cracker crust. Spread evenly with a knife or spatula. And now sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the top. Pretty!
Bake, cool, cut, and serve: Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the middle just barely jiggles. I recommend you start checking the bars at about 35 minutes, though - ovens vary! Allow to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Remove from fridge, and using the parchment paper as little "handles," remove the bars from the pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Serve.