Description
These Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars are a delightful dessert, combining the flavors of strawberry shortcake with creamy cheesecake. A crumbly biscuit crust, a smooth strawberry cheesecake filling, and a sweet, crunchy strawberry crumb topping create a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Strawberry Compote:
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) fresh hulled quartered strawberries
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons (5g) corn starch
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) lemon juice
Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup (71g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (42g) salted butter, melted (or unsalted butter with a pinch of salt)
- 1 tablespoon powdered freeze-dried strawberries (from about 1/3 cup or 10g freeze-dried sliced strawberries, ground into powder)
Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) Digestive biscuits/cracker crumbs (from about 10 biscuits)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) packed dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 1 block (250g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 oz (56ml) pure white chocolate, melted and cooled
- 2/3 cup (160ml) chilled strawberry compote
- 2 teaspoons (6g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freeze-dried strawberry powder
Instructions
- Make Strawberry Compote:
- Combine strawberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes until softened.
- Mix corn starch and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add to strawberries.
- Cook until it boils and thickens. Cool completely and refrigerate.
- Prepare Pan and Preheat Oven:
- Line an 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make Crumb Topping:
- Combine flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl.
- Add melted butter and mix until clumps form.
- Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Scatter crumbs on a baking sheet, break up clumps, and bake for 15 minutes until golden, tossing halfway.
- Cool completely.
- Add freeze dried strawberry powder, and toss to coat.
- Make Crust:
- Pulse Digestive biscuits and brown sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs.
- Add melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Press crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.
- Reduce oven temp to 325F.
- Make Cheesecake Filling:
- Pulse cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth.
- Add egg and pulse until combined.
- Add white chocolate and pulse until smooth.
- Add strawberry compote, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and flour. Pulse until smooth.
- Assemble and Bake:
- Pour cheesecake filling over the crust.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until set.
- While warm, sprinkle most of the crumb topping over the cheesecake, and lightly press it into the cheesecake.
- Replace the pan into the oven for 3 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Top with remaining crumbs.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing.
