Cherry Coconut Cheesecake Bars

A.k.a the ccc bars.... or just the best cheesecake bars with the BEST flavour combo ever.

On the scale of The Most Amazing Desserts in the Universe, cheesecake has to be up in the top 5 in my opinion, but you know how sometimes you just don't vibe with a huge, tall, annoying to bake piece of cheesecake? This is where cheesecake bars come in- a quicker, easier and more simple version of a classic cheesecake. These ones have a crumbly shortbread base, topped with a creaaaamy yoghurt cheesecake and rippled with a cherry jam. Sadly, it's pretty much the end of cherry season here in Australia, but I was sneaky enough to freeze some while we had loads of them during Christmas time, so there's still some cherry bakes coming your way!

Recipe- Makes 16 pieces

Ingredients

Cherry jam

1 cup frozen, canned or fresh cherries

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp caster sugar

Base

1/4 cup self raising flour

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup plain flour

80g unsalted butter, cold

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 egg, whisked

Cheesecake

250g cream cheese, room temperature (it will reduce lumps this way)

1/2 cup greek yoghurt

1/2 cup icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract (0r coconut extract if you have it)

2 eggs, whisked

Make the cherry jam by combining all ingredients in a small pot, and simmering until the cherries break down and the jam becomes thick. Remove from heat and leave to cool while you get on with the rest of the recipe.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 23cm square tin with baking paper.

For the base, combine the flours and coconut in a mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the unsalted butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and egg, and gently bring together until the mixture clumps together. Press into the lined baking tin until flat and even. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the top of the biscuit is matte and no longer shiny, and is starting to go golden brown around the outside.

Lower oven temperature to 150°C.

For the cheesecake mix, use a paddle attachment for a stand mixer to mix the cream cheese on low speed until no lumps remain. Add the greek yoghurt, icing sugar and vanilla. Incorporate on low-medium speed until combined. Gradually add the eggs and mix for no more than a minute until all mixed in.

Pour over the base and smooth out with a spatula. Dollop over the cherry jam, and use a skewer to ripple and marble it into the cheesecake mixture.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until there is only a slight jiggle in the centre of the cheesecake, and the outside edges of the cheesecake have puffed up. Remember, it's always nicer to take it out a littler earlier than later, as the cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools.

Leave to cool for an hour or so, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely. Once cooled, cut into pieces and serve.

DIFFICULTY	INGREDIENTS	PREP TIME	COOK TIME
Medium	13	30 minutes	1 hour