Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease the inside of an 8×8 baking dish. Line with two sheets of parchment paper so that the inside of the pan is fully covered.

In a bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth.

Then add in the flour, cornstarch, and salt and mix. It will appear crumbly but all ingredients should be well combined.

Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and bake for 12 minutes.

While that bakes, prepare the cheesecake layer.

In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer (I like to reuse the shortbread bowl and just wipe it clean), add the sugar and zest. Rub the two together with your fingers to release even more lemon flavor.

Now add the cream cheese and mix until smooth.

Scrape down the bowl and mix in the egg and vanilla.

Pour the filling over the baked crust and spread even. Bake for 20 minutes.

Only start on this step once the cheesecake is removed from the oven. We need to give it time to cool so that the raspberry layer doesn’t sink into the cheesecake layer.

Starting with the raspberries, add them to a small saucepan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Place over medium heat.

Using a wooden spoon, mix and mash until the raspberries are completely broken down. Once bubbling, stir and continue to heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Run the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. You should be left with a little over ¼ cup of raspberry reduction.

To the raspberry reduction, add the lemon juice and stir to combine.

Now in a large mixing bowl (again, I use the same bowl as the shortbread and cheesecake and wipe it clean), whisk together the eggs, sugar, and flour.

Pour in the raspberry lemon sauce and whisk to combine. The mixture should be very liquid.

Now that about 10 minutes have passed, the cheesecake should be set. Gently pour the filling around the edges of the cheesecake layer (as these are the most firm). Constantly move the bowl around as you’re pouring to prevent the filling from sinking in one spot.

Once all the liquid is poured, carefully transfer the pan back to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

It’s done when the center has a tight jiggle when the pan is nudged.

Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill uncovered for a few hours or overnight.

Before serving, remove from the pan and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!