BLUEBERRY LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES

By J. Gagliardi

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 2 cups ground vanilla wafers or graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• Filling:
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 (10 oz.) jar blueberry preserves
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350º F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both sides.
Place vanilla wafters in a large bowl and mix in melted butter and cinnamon until mixture is the consistency of damp sand.

Press mixture evenly into the bottom of greased baking dish to form the crust and refrigerate until later use.
In a large bowl or mixer (or using a food processor), beat cream cheese until smooth, then mix in eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest until fully combined and incorporated.
Spread mixture over chilled crust and use an offset rubber spatula to even out the top.
Sprinkle fresh blueberries evenly over the cheesecake, then spread blueberry preserves on top.
Place baking dish in oven and bake for 27-30 minutes, or until the center is just set, but still jiggles.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before refrigerating at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Use parchment paper overhang to extract cheesecake block from baking dish, cut into squares and serve chilled.