4.05.2009

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Alright, not to toot my own horn here, but honestly, I really feel that I outdid myself on these babies.

Backstory: I asked my friends at work what they wanted for baked goods this week, since I didn't really have anything set in mind. Tasha suggested cheesecake bars, since she loved the Nutella ones. Mind you, this is the girl that says she doesn't like cheesecake (What the duck?!). I've maintained from that day that I'd bring her over to the cheesecake side. And this might be the winning step.

Shockingly enough, it's a Martha Stewart recipe. Martha and I have had our, ahem, disagreements in the past, so it's a big deal that this recipe turned out as well as it did. And I would very much like to try this with lime juice next time. Mmmm... lime. ;) The only change I made is to up the amount of lemon juice, because I really want a stronger flavor than the previous bars.



Ingredients:
8 graham crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

16 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3-4 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and lemon juice, beating until combined. Pour over hot crust.

Bake at 325F for 30-35 minutes, or until center is nearly set. Let cool completely (or overnight) before cutting into bars.

2 comments:

Elyse said...

Martha and I have had our disagreements, too! I once cut out a recipe for a lemon cake from her magazine. I read the recipe and it called for a whole tablespoon of baking powder. I thought, how strange, but this was many years ago before I had enough confidence to take charge of the ingredients used in baking. Well, I put in her TBS of powder and my cakes overflowed. What a horrible misprint. Maybe if I make these delicious looking cheesecake bars, I'll be able to forgive her. By the way, bars that look this yummy should definitely be able to convert your coworker to the cheesecake side!

Ari (Baking and Books) said...

Mmm, those look delicious! You should feel free to toot your own horn, especially when it comes to something as delectable as this.