Classic Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Juicy blueberries meet a creamy, light cheesecake in this indulgent bar. Inspired by New York and Japanese baked cheesecakes, it is rich yet airy. Perfect for a sweet treat or dessert. The cheesecake is baked with a crisp biscuit base and topped with fresh blueberries for an irresistible finish.

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (all oven types).

2. 2

   Spray a 20cm / 9″ square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang to lift out later.

3. 3

   Place biscuits in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter and 2 tbsp sugar, blitz to combine until mixture resembles wet sand.

4. 4

   Pour biscuit mixture into tin and press firmly with flat-bottomed object to form base.

5. 5

   Beat cream cheese until smooth, not fluffy. Add flour and beat until just combined.

6. 6

   Add sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating gently after each addition.

7. 7

   Fold in most of the blueberries, reserving some for topping. Pour mixture into tin and smooth surface. Top with remaining blueberries.

8. 8

   Bake for 35 minutes (fan/convection) or 40 minutes (standard) until cheesecake is set but the center slightly wobbles. Surface should not brown significantly; minor cracks are normal.

9. 9

   Cool in tin, then refrigerate covered for at least 4 hours. Lift out using paper overhang, dust with icing sugar if desired, and cut into squares or bars to serve.

Recipe Notes

• Base – Any plain sweet biscuit can be substituted. Blitzing in a food processor gives a fine crumb, or bash with a rolling pin in a ziplock bag and mix with butter manually.

• Filling – Do not overbeat cream cheese; overly fluffy filling is prone to cracking, especially near blueberries. Wooden spoon or whisk works fine.

• Optional – Make a glistening blueberry sauce for the top instead of folding berries in. Refer to No Bake cheesecake bars recipe for method.

• Recipe Origin – Adapted from Classic Baked Cheesecake recipe.

• Surface cracks – Minor cracks on the surface are normal, especially around blueberries. Dust with icing sugar to enhance appearance.

• Storage – Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Cheesecake bars can also be frozen for later consumption.

• Serving – Dust with icing sugar before serving for a visually appealing finish.