Apricot Cheesecake Bars
Serves: 16
 
Ingredients
  • 2⅓ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons strained apricot purée
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Apricot Jelly (recipe follows)
  • Apricot Roses (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with plastic wrap.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Place pan in freezer while preparing filling.
  3. Place ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 10 minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat; set aside.
  4. In the container of a blender, blend together cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined and smooth. Add apricot purée and vanilla extract, and blend until uniform in color. With blender running, add warm gelatin mixture, blending until well combined. Pour filling over chilled crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  5. Pour Apricot Jelly over chilled cheesecake.
  6. Place prepared Apricot Roses in jelly in 4 (4-count) rows. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
  7. Using excess plastic wrap as handles, remove cheesecake from pan. Using a hot, dry knife, cut into 16 squares. Serve immediately.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/apricot-cheesecake-bars/