CLASSIC Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 18 Arnott's Marie crackers ((150g) or 16 Graham cracker squares (8 full sheets) (Note 1))
• 100 g / 3.5 oz unsalted butter (, melted)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 320 g / 12 oz Philadelphia cream cheese (, softened)
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup / 220 g white sugar (, superfine or caster is best)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 eggs (, at room temperature)
• 250 g / 8 oz (~1 3/4 cups) blueberries ((2 Aust punnets))
• Icing sugar / confection sugar (, for dusting (optional))

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 160C/320F (all oven types).

2. 2

   Spray a 20cm/9" square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).

3. 3

   Place biscuits in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs form. Add butter and sugar and blitz to combine - it should look like wet sand. (Note 1)

4. 4

   Pour into tin and use something with a flat bottom to press into base.

5. 5

   Beat cream cheese until smooth, not fluffy. Add flour and beat until just combined.

6. 6

   Add sour cream, sugar, vanilla and lemon. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one and a time, beating in between until just combined.

7. 7

   Fold in most of the blueberries - reserve some for topping. Pour into tin and smooth surface. Top with remaining blueberries.

8. 8

   Bake for 35 minutes (fan forced / convection) or 40 minutes (standard), or until cheesecake is set but the middle wobbles a bit like jelly - see video. The surface should not be browned, there will probably be some minor cracks.

9. 9

   Cool in tin, then refrigerate (covered) for at least 4 hours. Use paper overhang to lift out, dust with icing sugar if desired. Cut into squares or bars. Serve!