Breaking out the edible glitter for my 300th post! # 300: Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Happy 300th post! Six and a half years later and I’m still making a mess in the kitchen and pawning extra goodies off on local friends and family. I’m sorry and you’re welcome.

So happy to say that 2023 me has way more confidence in the kitchen than 2017 me ever did! I no longer feel like recipe creators are magicians who are the only ones who will ever truly understand how a cake works. Or maybe I still do, but now I understand that I’m capable of leveling up to said magician status.

Well also 2023 me has edible glitter – literally a glow up! 2017 me is very jealous, since she didn’t know edible glitter existed.

I got this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen and was super skeptical of the sour cream topping. I just don’t like the taste, despite being raised in a household where strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar was normal. *shudder*

My biggest fear was that you’d be able to taste it, despite all the strawberries and sugar mixed in. Ultimately, ATK won me over with the argument that adding the strawberry puree to the cheesecake mixture itself ruins its fluffy texture. Fair. As it turns out, the sour cream is a sneak ingredient that helps the strawberries shine! It balances out the sweetness of all three layers. Plus, it’s a great way to use up that huge container you have in the back of your fridge. I know you don’t think it’s still in there, but check behind the pickles.

You know what works great in place of graham crackers? Biscoff cookies! They have the perfect crumbly texture. (Bonus points if you got them on your last flight and have been saving them in the freezer for who knows what future recipe. Freezer spring cleaning is a gold mine)

I cut the recipe by two thirds so I didn’t drown in desserts this week. Adjustable-size pan making my dreams come true!

The food processor got to taste all three layers of this dessert and it’s a big fan.

Squish.

Filling time! I snuck some orange zest in there too. Because yum.

Whoosh.

Ready for bake #1.

The line-up.

I love strawberry season.

Waiting for it’s big moment.

It set surprisingly well considering it’s just strawberries, sugar and sour cream!

Just a little bit of fairy dust.

Sugar magic: the longer it sits, the more water it pulls out of the strawberries, dissolving into a strawberry syrup.

What you don’t see here is the damp kitchen towel used to wipe the knife off after each slice. Cheesecake is very friendly and wants to smudge it’s pretty layers with each cut.

Happy munching!

Recipe from: America’s Test Kitchen