Bakers Royale

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumb Bars

By 38 Comments

The biggest game day is upon us, February 1st – that’s less than three weeks away. So let’s start planning because whether you are going to the football party or throwing the football party the food is an important component.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars #HomeBowlHeroContest

And depending on what side you fall on—football fan first, food second or you’re like me, food first and football second—let’s plan for something to serve or to bring.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars #HomeBowlHeroContest

Something like these Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumb Bars. Here’s the secret ingredient that makes this: the crust. The crust starts with a brown butter for a soft toffee-like flavor and the crushed Ritz Crackers is the secret punch that gives the ensemble a sweet and salty profile. Of course I can never stop with good enough, so I threw in a Blueberry Coke reduction sauce to serve with the vanilla ice cream topping. Yep, trust me you are not going to want to miss the sauce. It catapults the dessert into another stratosphere.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars #HomeBowlHeroContest

Now with the food out of the way, let’s get to some fun. I’m doing a “Home Bowl” Pinterest contest to get us all geared and ready. Here’s how it’s going to work:

Contest Prize*: Three winners will be chosen. Each winner will be awarded a “Home Bowl” prize pack valued at $350 (approximate retail value). Each prize pack includes: (1) one $250 Visa gift (2) Coca-Cola product (3) Ritz Crackers (4) “Home Bowl” themed serving cups, cutting board and tote bag.

Contest Date: The contest entry date begins January 12, 2015 and closes February 2, 2015.

Contest Entry**: To enter the contest, you must complete each of the following items: (1) Create a Pinterest board titled Coca-Cola #HomeBowlHeroContest (2) Pin your favorite game day food or drink, party tips or a combination thereof (3) Each pin posted to your Coca-Cola #HomeBowlHeroContest must include the hashtag #HomeBowlHeroContest (4) Copy and paste the Coca-Cola #HomeBowlHeroContest board URL in the comment section of this post.

Winner Selection: Winner(s) will randomly be selected and contacted via email provided in the comment section. Winner(s) will have up to 72 hours to respond to notification with a valid phone number and address.

*The prize was provided by The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company Company is not a sponsor, administrator or connected in any other way with this [contest].

** Coca-Cola and Ritz crackers do not need to be shown or included in any pins to be eligible to win.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars #HomeBowlHeroContest

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumble Bars

Yield: Makes 10-12 servings

Ingredients

  • Crust
  • 12 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup crushed Ritz Crackers, about 8 whole crackers
  • Filling
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 oz. raspberries
  • 4 oz. blackberries
  • 4 oz. blueberries
  • Topping
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter, chilled

Instructions

Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray, then line it with parchment paper (the spray will prevent the parchment paper from shifting around as you press the crust into it).

To make crust:

  1. Place butter in a frying pan over medium heatand cook until light brown and nutty in aroma, about 4 minutes. Scrape the butter into a large bowl and chill in the freezer until solid, about 15-20 minutes.
  1. Remove chilled butter from freezer and place it in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Add in the sugar, vanilla and egg and beat until well combined. Add in the flour and crushed Ritz Crackers and beat until moistened and mixture looks like crumbly wet sand. Press the mixture into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until crust is slightly set. Remove from oven and set aside on a cooling rack.

To make topping:

  1. Place sugar, cake flour and cinnamon in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the butter and using a fork or pastry blender work it into the dry ingredients until combined and the mixture is crumb-like in texture. Sprinkle the mixture on top of filling. Set aside.

To make filling:

  1. Place all cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until well combined. Pour mixture over crust. Sprinkle berries on top and press lightly into mixture.

Assembly:

  1. Sprinkle topping over filling. Transfer pan to oven and bake the at 350°F for until filling is set and jiggles only slightly at the center when pan is tapped and the topping is a light golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Cool for at least 25 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream and Blueberry Coke reduction sauce (recipe follows).

Blueberry Coke Reduction Sauce

  • 12 oz. blueberries
  • ¼ cup Coke, flat
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  1. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
© Naomi Robinson | Bakers Royale
Category: Baking Basics Series

Comments

  3. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

    I can’t lie. I’m a “food first, no football” kind of game watcher. I’ll eat and then go read gone girl.
    And by “eat” I mean, take ALL these gorgeous bars into my bedroom and share with NO ONE. Pinned!

  5. Tori@Gringalicious.com says

    These bars are calling my name! I have so many berries right now and now I know exactly what to do with them! Gorgeous!

  10. Sarah | Broma Bakery says

    I may or may not have a page-long list of what I want to make for the game. As a New England girl, I couldn’t be more excited.
    Now onto these bars. I’m sorry, but blueberry coke reduction?! And a sweet and salty crust. And a cheesecake filling. You’ve stolen my heart.

  12. Liz+@+Floating+Kitchen says

    Oh definitely food first and then football! We gotta have our priorities straight!

  19. Kelley says

    These look like so much fun! Hopefully I also followed your directions for pinterest correctly.

  25. Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire says

    i am a food first, football never kinda gal. I’ve never been able to understand football and now I feel ill never get it. Soooooo, I’ll go and grab myself a plate piled high with a bunch of these bars and sneak away into my room to catch up on Netflix. I love that salty ritz cracker bottom to these bars. Yum.

  36. Kasey Williams says

    These Mixed Berry Cheesecake Crumb Bars were a huge hit at my Superbowl party, thanks for the recipe! Yumm

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