Here is a creamy raspberry rectangle that’s a delight when you just have to have something sweet.
RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
Prep: 1 hour plus time to cool
Bake: 25 minutes
Makes: 12 bars
Swirl:
6 ounces fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Crust:
½ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1. Boil: For swirl, heap berries, sugar and zest in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook until berries collapse, about 5 minutes. Press through a medium-mesh sieve; discard seeds. Chill.
2. Bake: For crust, measure flour, sugar, butter and salt into the food processor. Pulse to damp clumps. Slide in toasted almonds and pulse a few times. Dump this crumble into an 8-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper (leave some overhang) and pat firmly into the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees until tan and fragrant, about 18 minutes. Cool.
3. Smooth: For filling, measure all ingredients into the food processor and swirl smooth. Spread over crust.
4. Swirl: Pour raspberry puree into stripes over the cheesecake batter. Use a fork to swirl pink into white.
5. Bake: Bake at 350 until wiggly in the center, about 25 minutes. Cool. Chill. Grasp parchment and pull cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 12 bars.