Skip to main content

no-bake blueberry cheesecake bars~a perfect summer dessert

 

It's not a secret that blueberries and cheesecake in any form, even no-bake, go wonderfully together for a summer dessert. I'm going to make this dessert again tomorrow using blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries on top, just to change things up for the holiday weekend.  My refrigerator is packed with food and just now we decided to drive out to the coast, Point Reyes area, for lunch.  Of course my husband wants seafood when I have beef and chicken in our fridge, such is life in our Bay Area suburban bubble.

Just a quick note on this recipe from the NYT, I love using Bellwether Farms Basket Ricotta made in Petaluma, maybe we will wave to them on our drive out to the coast.  The recipe calls for 1 cup of ricotta so you have some leftover to use in pasta or wherever your creative mind takes you, it's wonderful delicious stuff.

ps, I like sweet desserts so when a recipe calls for the possibility to increase sugar -nine times out of ten I increase that sugar to make my dessert nice and sweet.

Ingredients and Recipe for No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Make 8 generous servings

16 graham cracker squares or 8 whole crackers, finely crushed
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 8-ounce package full fat regular cream cheese, at room temp 
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Freshly grated rind of a lemon, I used Meyer lemon
Generous pinch of sea salt
1&1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Combine the crushed graham crackers, pecans and melted butter.  Press into an 8 or 9 inch square pan to form the crust, about 1/4 inch thick, chill in fridge until ready to use.
In a large bowl whisk together the softened cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, lemon zest and salt, combine until smooth.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the crust, being careful not to upset the crust.
Place in the refrigerator to chill until firm (this can be done the day before), then cover with the blueberries and chill for another hour before serving.
Cut into squares and serve.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

braised romano beans with heirloom tomatoes and purple leaf sweet basil

  Romano beans braised in heirloom tomato sauce, shallots and garlic make an easy summer side dish -excellent served with grilled fish and potato purée.  I know because that's what we had for dinner last Saturday night.  I happily used purple basil from my own herb pots that are now watered with leftover shower water.  We have many more months of drought ahead of us in California and apparently mask wearing when in public, no not in the car. I appreciate our farmers markets more than ever, thank you farmers for romano beans and heirloom tomatoes and also myself for the fresh purple basil. Such a treat to find fresh romano green beans at the farmers market; they hold up to a fairly long, about 20 minute braise and become tender in the tomato broth from the heirloom tomatoes.  🍅 This is one of those simple good veg recipes. Ingredients and Recipe for Romano Beans with Heirloom Tomatoes and Purple Leaf Sweet Basil Serves 2-4 1 pound fresh romano beans, washed...
Post a Comment
Read more

springtime chamomile tea cake with strawberry icing

 Good grief, Easter is in the rear view mirror and we are deep into this new year.  And once again it's tea time at my house.  This chamomile tea cake is a beautiful sweet addition to any tea ritual, especially my favorite, chamomile tea, which I rediscovered in my hotel room in Carmel earlier this fast moving year.  I highly recommend a slice of chamomile tea cake with strawberry 🍓 icing with a cup of chamomile tea to just take a moment and slow this year down.  Baking with tea is both creative and fun.  Earlier this year I made Earl Gray sugar cookies which are made using the same method of infusing the butter with loose tea.  For my tea cake I also rubbed the lemon zest into the sugar -another way to lend a pop of citrus to your baking. The strawberry icing is made using freeze dried strawberries, I pulverize them in my spice mill and then they are pressed through a fine sieve into the confectioner's sugar.  In addition to using lemon zest rub...
Post a Comment
Read more

new to me shrimp cakes with dill and scallions

  I just now finished reading about a little girl who decided to wear a mask to school in Tennessee and her teacher who told her to remove it because she was having trouble hearing her speak.  Talk about lack of freedom.  Yes, the freedom to protect yourself in public from a deadly disease by opting to wear a mask. How long will the children be able to stay in school?  How soon will the Covid start circulating?  We are all ready to move on but Covid isn't finished with us.   So now I'm thinking shrimp cakes and where have you been all my life?  I've enjoyed crab cakes over the years; one of my favorite meals- served with veggies and a salad.  Now I have discovered shrimp 🍤 cakes and I'm loving this new to me recipe, a perfect substitute for out of season crab 🦀  Ingredients and Recipe for New to Me Shrimp Cakes with Dill and Scallions Makes 6 shrimp cakes 3/4 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 cup panko  1/3 cup diced red bell ...
1 comment
Read more