Berry Cheesecake Bars: easy, creamy and beautiful dessert

This genius baked cheesecake doesn’t require lots of fiddling around with water baths – mix up the filling, add to the base, and pop in the oven.

It also features a sour cream topping, that is baked onto the cheesecake after it has set. A selection of summer berries finishes the whole thing off.

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F/150 C fan/gas mark 3. Line bottom and sides of an 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides – or use a springform rectangular tin instead, lightly greased.

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Step 1

Heat oven to 325 F/150 C fan/gas mark 3. Line bottom and sides of an 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides – or use a springform rectangular tin instead, lightly greased.

To make the base: Combine biscuit crumbs, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl, and mix until everything is well-combined. Add to bottom of prepared pan, and press down evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

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Step 4

To make the base: Combine biscuit crumbs, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl, and mix until everything is well-combined. Add to bottom of prepared pan, and press down evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

To make the cheesecake: While the base is cooking, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla, and pour over prepared base – it’s fine if it’s still hot.

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Step 7

To make the cheesecake: While the base is cooking, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly mixed.

Bake for 25 minutes, until the cream cheese mixture is puffed up but still a little wobbly when shaken gently. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes, and make the sour cream topping while it’s cooling.

To make sour cream topping: Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Add spoonfuls of topping all over the cheesecake, and spread gently into one thin layer. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

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Step 10

Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla, and pour over prepared base – it’s fine if it’s still hot.

Set pan on a cooling rack and leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight).

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Step 13

Bake for 25 minutes, until the cream cheese mixture is puffed up but still a little wobbly when shaken gently. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes, and make the sour cream topping while it’s cooling.

To serve:  Run a knife around the edges of the springform tin, then carefully loosen the spring and gently remove the sides. Cover with berries and cut into bars with a serrated knife.

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Step 16

To make sour cream topping: Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Add spoonfuls of topping all over the cheesecake, and spread gently into one thin layer. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

If you used a non-springform tin, then use the foil sling to carefully lift cheesecake out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. If you can, carefully slide the cheesecake off the foil and onto a plate. Scatter berries all over cake, and cut gently into squares with a serrated knife.

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Step 19

Set pan on a cooling rack and leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally overnight).

Notes

You can use a cooked fruit topping if you prefer, or try marbling the cheesecake before cooking with a raspberry or other fruit sauce.

If you are not keen on sour cream, try a whipped cream topping instead, and add it just before serving.