Blackberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Step 1

In a small sauce pan, combine blackberries and sugar and heat over medium / medium high heat. Lighly crush blackberries with tip of spoon or whisk to release the juice. Bring to a low boil then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain blackberry puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Move puree to the refrigerator for 1 hour or to the freezer for 20 minutes. Do not let freeze, you just want to cool it to near room temperature.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 3

For the crust, start by adding the sandwich cookies to a food processor and pulse until pulverized

Step 4

Move to a large mixing bowl and add the melted butter, stir to combine and then transfer to a 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper

Step 5

Using your fingers, press cookie mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan and set aside

Step 6

In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese and and beat with hand mixer until creamy.

Step 7

Add sugar, salt, lemon, egg and sour cream and mix until smooth and creamy

Step 8

Pour cheesecake mixture on top of the cookie crust.

Step 9

Using a spoon, drizzle cooled blackberry puree on top of the cheesecake filling. Do not mix!

Step 10

Drag a toothpick or a knife back and forth through the blackberry topping going as deep into the filling as you can without touching the crust.

Step 11

Move to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool. Move to refrigerator to cool overnight

Step 12

Lift parchment paper up to remove cheesecake bars, cut and serve

Step 13

Refrigerate left over bars