Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust Recipe

It is starting to take on a life of its own, this bowl of cooked rhubarb that sits in my fridge and urges me to dip in a spoon for a furtive, stolen slurp of its tangy and sweet nectar. This simple sauce willed me, with its provocative consistency and muted pink hue, to incorporate it into another sweet treat. After offering you the Cornmeal, Rosemary & Lemon Cake with Rhubarb & Strawberry Sauce only four days ago, I really have no other excuse for assailing you with yet another dessert with this springtime delight. The rhubarb made me do it.

After tasting the Reese's Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake Bars a couple of months ago, I knew that this basic cheesecake recipe was destined to live another day. This time, however, I replaced several of the graham crackers in the crust with gingersnap cookies. The ginger in the crust was highlighted by the piece of ginger that was simmered with the fresh rhubarb. Before being baked, I swirled the cooked rhubarb mixture into the smooth cheesecake mixture. Once the cheesecake baked, cooled, and set in the fridge overnight, I cut it into single-serving bars and topped each with a dollop of the remaining rhubarb sauce. The pleasing taste and silky texture ensures that you have not seen the last cheesecake bar from me.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The Crust:
Place 3 whole graham crackers and 12 gingersnaps, broken into 1-inch pieces, into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds.

To the crumbs, add 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter (melted and cooled), 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and ⅛ teaspoons salt. Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

The filling:
In a large bowl, beat 2 (8 ounces each) packages softened cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters and sides of bowl frequently.

Gradually beat in ⅔ cup granulated sugar until the mixture is combined, about 1 minute. Beat in 2 large eggs, one a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in ¼ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds.

Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly.

In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Trim and slice 1 pound rhubarb into ¼-inch pieces and add it, along with a 1-inch piece of peeled, fresh ginger, to the water and sugar syrup.

SImmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very soft and falling apart, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the piece of ginger. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Using a teaspoon, spoon ½ cup of the rhubarb mixture gently onto random places over the surface of the cheesecake.

Using a small knife, gently swirl the rhubarb mixture into the cream cheese mixture.

Bake until the edges are set but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken slightly, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil and cut into 16 bars. Top the bars with the remaining rhubarb sauce immediately before serving.

Other cheesecake bar recipes:

Cookin' Canuck's Reese's Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Amanda's Cookin's Almond Cheesecake Bars
Smitten Kitchen's Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares
Rosa's Yummy Yums' Lemon & Rose Cheesecake Bars
My Kitchen Snippets' Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Crust:
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
12 gingersnap cookies, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoon (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt

Filling:
2 (8 oz. each) packages cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
1 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The Crust:
Place graham crackers and gingersnaps into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

The filling:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters and sides of bowl frequently. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, one a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly.

In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Add it rhubarb and ginger to the water and sugar syrup. SImmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very soft and falling apart, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the piece of ginger. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Using a teaspoon, spoon ½ cup of the rhubarb mixture gently onto random places over the surface of the cheesecake. Using a small knife, gently swirl the rhubarb mixture into the cream cheese mixture.

Bake until the edges are set but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken slightly, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil and cut into 16 bars.

Top the bars with the remaining rhubarb sauce immediately before serving.
Makes 16 bars.

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