Creamy Strawberry Bars (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Strawberry Sauce
01 -
1½ cups (200g) fresh strawberries, quartered and with stems removed
02 -
2 tablespoons (25g) white sugar
03 -
2 teaspoons (5g) cornstarch
04 -
2 teaspoons (10ml) lemon juice
→ Crumb Layer
05 -
½ cup (71g) plain white flour
06 -
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
07 -
1 tablespoon (15g) light brown sugar, packed
08 -
3 tablespoons (42g) salted butter, melted
09 -
1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder (about ⅓ cup/10g freeze-dried strawberry slices)
→ Base
10 -
1½ cups (170g) crushed digestive biscuits or crackers (roughly 10 pieces)
11 -
2 tablespoons (30g) dark brown sugar, packed
12 -
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheesecake Mixture
13 -
1 block (250g) cream cheese, brought to room temperature
14 -
⅓ cup (65g) white sugar
15 -
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla essence, pure
16 -
1 large egg, room temp
17 -
2 oz (56ml) melted white chocolate, cooled
18 -
⅔ cup (160ml) chilled strawberry compote
19 -
2 teaspoons (6g) plain all-purpose flour
20 -
1 teaspoon freeze-dried strawberry powder
# Instructions:
01 -
Put strawberries and sugar in a small pot, cook for about 3 minutes until they soften. Mix lemon juice with cornstarch to make a paste. Add this to the strawberry pot and stir until it thickens. Let it cool down fully, then chill in the fridge.
02 -
Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving the edges hanging over. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
03 -
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugars. Pour in melted butter and stir until clumps form. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Spread it out on a lined baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden. Let it cool, then mix in the strawberry powder.
04 -
Blend the crackers and brown sugar until they form fine crumbs. Mix in melted butter until it's evenly incorporated. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and slightly up the edges of the pan. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
05 -
Blend cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add egg and then the melted white chocolate, blending everything thoroughly. Add the strawberry compote, along with the strawberry powder and flour, and mix again.
06 -
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the base. Bake for 20–25 minutes until it sets. While it’s still warm, sprinkle most of the crumb mixture over the top and press it lightly. Put it back in the oven for another 3 minutes to set the topping.
07 -
Once out of the oven, let it cool fully on a rack. Sprinkle any leftover crumb mixture on top, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into pieces.
# Notes:
01 -
The crust and crumbs can bake at the same time.
02 -
Don’t overcook crumbs with strawberry powder or they might get too dark.
03 -
Swap digestive biscuits for graham crackers if you like.