Cheesecake: New Tastes For An Old Standby
By KellyAnne Terry
Cheesecake is a favorite way to end any meal, but by altering traditional cheesecake recipes into bars of different flavors, guests and family members can rave about a delicious dessert you shook up to be an unforgettable experience!
Lemon Cheesecake Bars –
Most cheesecake recipes require a long amount of cooking time, but this recipe is no-bake and most people will not realize how easy it is to make! Prepare a graham cracker crumb crust in the bottom of a 13 X 9” pan. Beat 2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in ¾ cup lemonade concentrate. In another bowl, mix together 1 (3.4 oz) package of lemon pudding mix and 1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk. Gradually beat in the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Pour the combined ingredients over your graham cracker crust. Refrigerate until set, about 4-6 hours. This light but tasty dessert goes well with Mexican food. Makes 18 bars.
Apple Cheesecake Bars –
If you love the taste of hot apple pie and the smooth creamy sweetness of cheesecake, these bars will soon become a favorite. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 ½ cups oats, ¾ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Mix well. Cut in ¾ cup all-vegetable shortening, preferably butter flavored, until chunky crumbs form. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until the crumbs are set. Do not brown! Cool on wire rack.
Combine 2 (8 oz) packages of softened cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Mix until blended and pour over the crumb crust. Stir together 1 cup chopped apples of a tart variety, such as Granny Smith, 1 teaspoon almond extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice. Sprinkle the apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 1 cup oat mixture reserved earlier. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until the top is golden. Cool completely on wire rack and cut into bars. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes 18 bars.
Cherry Cheesecake Bars –
A yummy alternative to the basic cherry cheesecake, these bars offer both sweetness and crunch. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop ½ cup of walnuts finely. Combine 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour and ½ cup packed brown sugar in a bowl. Cut in ½ cup all-vegetable shortening until fine crumbs form. Add the ½ cup of finely chopped walnuts. Mix together and reserve ½ cup of the crumbs of topping. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a shortening-greased 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned making sure not to overbake.
For the filling, combine 2 (8 oz) packages of softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix until well blended. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the hot walnut crust. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes making sure not to overbake. Remove from oven and dot with one can (21 oz) cherry pie filling. Chop another ½ cup of walnuts and add to the reserved crumb topping. Sprinkle over the top of cherry pie filling. Return to the oven one last time and bake for 15 minutes, making sure not to overbake. Cool completely and keep refrigerated. Makes 2 ½ dozen bars.
