Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Or, why I’m having a hard time giving up dairy.

After my two weeks of deprivation, I was desperate to bake. And no, that’s not an overstatement. For me, baking is this itch–and after a while, I’ve just GOT to scratch it. Noel says I’m like an addict looking for my next hit, but I argue that since it’s a soothing, calming exercise for me, baking is more like therapy than an addiction.

It remains to be seen who is right with the theory…

So last weekend as we were getting ready to go to a very excellent crab feast, I decided at the last minute that I just NEEDED to bake these bars. Because it had been a while and I had an itch. No matter that I had already made a very excellent shrimp and spinach pasta salad (don’t worry, that recipe is coming soon!) and that someone else had signed up for dessert at the party. I was doing it!

Not even when Noel reminded me that I was still supposed to be avoiding dairy–and cheesecake counts as dairy–was I dissuaded. I went on with the bars and didn’t look back. Breaking the dairy-code may not have been the best thing in the short term, but now that I’m back (mostly) on the wagon this week, I like being able to think back and remember that flavor!

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from Everyday Food

Normally when I think of cheesecake, I think of something dense and heavy, and not at all good for a summer afternoon. But these are like the anti-cheesecake in that respect–they’re light, thanks to a graham cracker crust covered with just enough cheesecake goodness. And the blueberries. The blueberries take these to another level, with the bright bursts of sweet flavor in the tangy cheesecake. I used my homemade blueberry jam, but you can use any jam you would like. Or even fresh berries. Now there’s an idea…

Ingredients:

18 graham crackers
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
coarse salt
1/2 cup melted butter
2 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature (are you noticing a theme) lightly beaten
a jar of jam, for dalloping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, crush the crackers, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until crackers are dust (okay, just small pieces). Add melted butter, and pulse until loose dough forms. Press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan, using the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten out the crust. Bake until crust is firm, 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack (the freezer can help you here). Reduce heat to 325.

In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add vanilla and just a pinch of salt and beat until smooth. Add eggs and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Pour mixture over top of crust and smooth top.

Drop spoonfuls of jam into the cheesecake. Use a skewer or knife to swirl as desired. Bake until just set, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack, then place in the fridge until chilled and firm before cutting, at least two hours.

Eat a bar before a certain crab master gets them all!

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