Raspberry Cheesecake Bars (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust

01 - 200 g crushed Nilla wafers
02 - 25 g granulated sugar
03 - 70 g unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

04 - 450 g cream cheese, softened
05 - 135 g granulated sugar
06 - 60 g sour cream
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - Juice and zest of 1 lemon
09 - 5 ml pure vanilla extract
10 - 1 tsp kosher salt

→ Topping

11 - 600 g fresh raspberries, divided
12 - 50 g granulated sugar
13 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
14 - Pinch kosher salt

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a 23 cm square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 5 cm overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine crushed Nilla wafers and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool while preparing the filling.
03 - Reduce oven temperature to 160°C. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Incorporate sour cream and beat until no lumps remain. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, zest, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined. Pour batter over cooled crust and smooth the surface.
04 - Place the baking pan inside a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until only the center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
05 - While cheesecake cools, combine 450 g raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until raspberries break down and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and gently fold in remaining raspberries, taking care not to crush them. Let cool slightly.
06 - Pour raspberry topping evenly over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
07 - Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Slice into squares and serve chilled.

# Helpful Notes:

01 - Using a water bath helps prevent cracking on the cheesecake surface.
02 - If the cheesecake cracks, the raspberry topping will conceal the imperfections.

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