LEMON & ROSE CHEESECAKE BARS

Barbara at the great "Winos And Foodies" blog is a very kind, courageous and strong woman from Australia who has kicked cancer in it's butt and celebrated it with other bloggers in July. And man, we are all so relieved that she finished her chemo treatment!

Every year, Barbara is organises an event called "A Taste Of Yellow" in order to support LiveSTRONG Day . This time it will occur on the 2nd of October 2009 in order to coincide with the date Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago..

She is asking all (food)bloggers to take part in the round-up by making a dish that should contain some yellow (banana, cheese, saffron, etc...). Closing day is September the 13th 2009, but I guess that if you ask her politely, she will accept your recipe even if you send it two or three days later (Email your entries to her at atasteofyellowATgmailDOTcom)...

Although you might find the subject a little redundant, today I will be presenting yet another "Cookie Bar" recipe...

I'm awfully sorry for always blogging about this Anglo-Saxon and for sounding like a scratched CD, but "Slices" are like the Holy Grail to me. I can't help baking them on a regular basis as as they are so scrumptious, easy to make and versatile. I just cannot go through a month without testing a new "Square" recipe.

As I had quite a few cartons cream cheese in my fridge (bought on sale) and since I had been craving cheesecake lately, I thought that I could make "Cheesecake Bars". So, I went on the net looking for recipes and I came across Martha Stewart's delicious "Lemon Cheesecake Squares".

This basic recipe is great as it can be played around with to suit individual cravings of the moment and one can customize it to his'/her's liking. That's exactly what I wanted to do.

I didn't have any Graham Crackers at home, so I used Lotus Caramelised Biscuits from Belgium. I ommited the lemon juice as well as the lemon zest. Instead, I flavored my cream cheese filling with lemon extract, vanilla and ground dried rosebuds. Luckily, that combination worked fine and my "Lemon & Rose Cheesecake Bars" were delightful.

The cookie base is deliciously caramelly, slightly salty and crunchy, and the cream cheese filling is delicately fragrant and creamy-textured. Those bars are fabulous, especially if served with a not-too-sweet seasonal "Cinnamon Prune Compote".

A dessert item that is extremely irresistible and so toothsome!

~ Lemon & Rose Cheesecake Bars ~
Recipe by Martha Stewart and adpted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Makes 16 squares.

Ingredients for the "Crust":
1 1/4 Cups (145g) Lotus caramel cookies (or Graham Crackers), finely powdered
2 Tbs (30g) Castor sugar
3 Tbs (45g) Unsalted butter, melted
1 Pinch Sea salt
Ingredients for the "Filling":
480g (2x 8 oz) Cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 Cup (158g) Castor sugar
1/2 Tbs Flour
1 Pinch Sea salt
2 Large eggs, at room temperature
2 Dried rosebuds, powdered in a mortar
1/2 Tsp Pure vanilla extract
2-3 Drops Lemon extract

Method for the "Crust":
1. Preheat oven to 170° C (325° F).
2. Butter a 22 X 22cm (8-inch) square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
3. In a food processor, blend cookies/crackers with sugar and salt until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until moistened.
4. Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and pat in gently.
5. Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Let cool on a rack.
Method for the "Filling":
7. Place cream cheese in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
8. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, rosebud powder, vanilla, lemon extract and blend until smooth.
9. Pour mixture onto hot crust in pan and smooth the top.
10. Bake until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken), 30 to 35 minutes.
11. Cool completely in pan.
12. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 12 hours.

Remarks:
The longer the cheesecake squares are chilled, the better, so don't be hasty.
Keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with a cinnamon prune/plum compote.

****************

~ Carrés De Cheesecake Au Citron Et A La Rose ~
Recette de Martha Stewart, adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums.

Pour 16 carrés.

Ingrédients pour la "Croute":
1 1/4 Cups (145g) de Biscuits Lotus au caramel (ou de Graham Crackers), réduits en poudre
2 CS (30g) de Sucre cristallisé
3 CS (45g) de Beurre non-salé, fondu
1 Pincée de Sel de mer
Ingrédients pour la "Garniture":
480g de Cream cheese, à température ambiante
158g de Sucre cristallisé
1/2 CS (7.5g) de Farine
1 Pincée de Sel de mer
2 Gros oeufs, à température ambiante
2 Boutons de rose, réduits en poudre (dans un mortier)
1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille pure
2-3 Gouttes d'extrait de citron

Méthode pour la "Croûte":
1. Préchauffer le four à 170° C (325° F).
2. Beurrer un moule de 22 X 22 cm et recouvrir le fond de papier sulfurisé.
3. Passer les biscuits/crackers avec le le sucre et le sel au mixer, puis ajouter le beurre et pulser jusqu'à ce que le tout soit bien humide.
4. Mettre ce mélange dans le moule et applatir avec les doigts.
5. Cuire pendant 10 à 12 minutes.
6. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.
Méthode pour la "Garniture":
7. Mettre le cream cheese dans un batteur électrique et mixer afin qu'il devienne crémeux.
8. Ajouter le sucre, la farine, le sel, les oeufs, la poudre de boutons de rose, la vanille et l'extrait de citron, puis mixer jusqu'à ce que le tout soit homogène.

9. Verser ce méalnge sur la croûte et lisser.
10. Cuire 30 à 35 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la garniture soit figée (la garniture devrait légèrement trembloter quand le moule est secoué).
11. Faire refroidir (dans le moule).
12. Couvrir avec un film alimentaire et mettre au frigo au moins 12 heures.

Remarques:
Plus vous laisser ces carrés au frigo, plus ils seront meilleurs, alors ne soyez pas trop pressés.
Ils se gardent jusqu'à 5 jours au frigo.

Idées de présentation:
Servez ces carrés avec une compote de questches aromatisée à la cannelle et à la vanille.