Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram √ yes√ no I just feel like it kinda says something about you (something like, “I’m female” or maybe “I’m self confident” or even just “I’m extra tan”). I’m firmly in the no-white-pants category. “It’s too impractical!” I can hear my mother saying. “What if you sat in something??” BECAUSE THEY SEND YOU WHITE PANTS, THAT’S WHY. They came in the box and my first thought was NO. But then I convinced myself to have an open mind. Live a little! Try something new! It’s so trendy and all your friends will think you’re cool! (Looking back, this is not true, probably most of my friends would think, “Karen, it looks like you sat in something.”) I’M NOT KIDDING. Literally 30 minutes in my foray in the realm of white pants, and I end up with a bright green stain. I hadn’t even taken the tags off yet. Everyone called me Guacamole Pants for the rest of the night, and I can’t even blame them. These bars are the perfect dessert for when you want cheesecake but don’t want to wait a day and a half to eat it. Regular cheesecake takes forever to cool! I started making these bars at about 10am and was eating them by 1:30pm. Which, for cheesecake, is pretty impressive, considering you have to bake the crust, then bake the filling, then chill in the fridge. Or you can chill in the freezer, if you are ridiculously impatient like I am. (Rather, if you have to shoot them by 2pm in order to get the natural light you need for photographing.)
Double the filling. If you prefer a taller cheesecake layer, double the cheesecake filling ingredients (cream cheese, sugar, egg, extract) and leave everything else the same. Bake the crust the same amount, but increase the bake time for the cheesecake to about 50 minutes. Use your favorite berry. Try fresh or frozen blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. Skip the berries altogether. Simple cheesecake is still awesome. You could also drizzle the top with chocolate or caramel sauce, yum.
Make cutting the bars easier. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to slice the cheesecake (if you want clean lines). I usually use a washcloth to wipe off the knife in between slices. Leave room in between your raspberry dollops. Make sure to leave some white parts visible so that you have a chance to swirl. Add parchment or foil to the pan. This makes the bars easy to lift out and cut into even slices when you’re ready to serve them. Let your cheesecake bars rest in the oven. If you have time, turn the oven off and leave the door open for a half hour. This will help your cheesecake not to crack. (Rapid changes in temperature are a part of that.)
P.S. The guacamole washed out of the pants just fine with spray and wash. Now they will make a great addition to the museum section of my closet, unless you all pinky-swear to me to be the one to tell me next time I sit in guacamole. P.P.S. immediately after publishing this, I saw ads on my blog featuring a dude wearing white pants. No joke. Big Brother KNOWS, GUYS. No-Bake Cheesecake Parfait Bar « this recipe gives you all the benefits of cheesecake and none of the work. I LOVE it for parties and showers. Oreo Cheesecake Bars (And I Had a Baby) « for some reason the title on this always cracks me up. Click over to see baby Truman! Crème Brûlée Cheesecake « this is one of the most-made recipes on my site. Many people have told me that it’s the best cheesecake they’ve ever had! Cookie Monster Cheesecake from The Flavor Bender Pina Colada Cheesecake from It’s A Mother Thing No-Bake Mocha Cheesecake from Jane’s Patisserie
