If you know my mother, you’re probably disappointed by the title of today’s blog. I am not posting my mother’s cheesecake recipe today. My mother is well-known for her cheesecakes. They are all wonderfully rich & decadent & take hours to make. The New York cheesecake she makes most often is from a recipe given to her by one of my father’s aunts. My mother would usually make it with a cherry or strawberry topping, and occasionally with a pineapple topping. I preferred the pineapple topping until my mom started making an apple cheesecake, the Apple Bavarian Torte. (Click the link to get her recipe for that one!) If Mom needed a cheesecake in a hurry, she would make a cinnamon cheesecake or mini cheesecakes.

I was the designated Dessert Lady at a recent gathering of Gilbert’s family, celebrating his sister, Ketty’s engagement to Keon. I brought a few desserts that I knew Ketty and the rest of Gilbert’s family would like, but I also wanted to bring something that Keon would like. Ketty let me know that Keon liked cheesecake. I thought about doing one of my mother’s versions but I needed a lighter cheesecake that would hold up to a hot summer day and be easy to eat at the outdoor venue. These fresh Cherry Cheesecake Bars were perfect for the happy occasion!

Cherry Cheesecake Bars (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Yield: 12-16 servings, Total time: 4 hours, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 1/2 teaspoons ice water
• 1 1/4 cups (1/2 pound) fresh cherries, pitted & chopped
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/3 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment paper. Place flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor or stand mixer to combine. Add the chilled butter, and drizzle in the ice water. Pulse or mix the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the crumbly mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing it into the bottom of dish. Bake the crust at 350° for 20 – 25 minutes or until it is lightly browned. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Place the cherries, 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.

Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring them together with a whisk. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cherry mixture and cook them for 1 minute or until they are slightly thickened.

Cool the mixture slightly. Spoon the cherry mixture into a food processor, and process it until it is smooth. Spoon the pureed mixture into a bowl, and set it aside.

Rinse or wipe the food processor clean. Place the cream cheese, yogurt, 1/3 cup of sugar, vanilla and the egg in the food processor, and process it all together until it is smooth.

Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust, spreading it evenly.

Dollop the cherry mixture over the cream cheese mixture.

Swirl the two layers together with a knife for a marbled effect.

Bake the cheesecake at 325° for 35 minutes or until it is set. Cool it completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill it for at least 3 hours. Refrigerate any leftovers.

There were none of these leftover at the end of the celebration!  ~Linda

Cherry Cheesecake Bars (adapted from cookinglight.com)

Yield: 12-16 servings, Total time: 4 hours, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 1/2 teaspoons ice water
• 1 1/4 cups (1/2 pound) fresh cherries, pitted & chopped
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/3 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment paper. Place flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor or stand mixer to combine. Add the chilled butter, and drizzle in the ice water. Pulse or mix the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the crumbly mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing it into the bottom of dish. Bake the crust at 350° for 20 – 25 minutes or until it is lightly browned. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Place the cherries, 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring them together with a whisk. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cherry mixture and cook them for 1 minute or until they are slightly thickened. Cool the mixture slightly. Spoon the cherry mixture into a food processor, and process it until it is smooth. Spoon the pureed mixture into a bowl, and set it aside.

Rinse or wipe the food processor clean. Place the cream cheese, yogurt, 1/3 cup of sugar, vanilla and the egg in the food processor, and process it all together until it is smooth. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust, spreading it evenly. Dollop the cherry mixture over the cream cheese mixture, swirling them together with a knife. Bake the cheesecake at 325° for 35 minutes or until it is set. Cool it completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill it for at least 3 hours. Refrigerate any leftovers.