About These Ube Cheesecake Bars
These ube cheesecake bars are made with clean and creamy cheesecake filling laced with vibrant purple ube cheesecake swirls. The ube cheesecake is made with ube halaya jam, a jam comprised of a Filipino yam with a candy and delicate taste. It tastes like a cross between vanilla and pistachio and brings a beautiful nutty taste to enrich the tangy cheesecake.
For much more ube recipes, try these ube crinkle cookies (some of the in style recipes on this website), ube mochi donuts, and a round-up of ube dessert recipes on Hummingbird Excessive!
@hummingbirdhigh #ube all day child #desserttiktok #bakingtiktok ♬ Lavender Haze – Taylor Swift
Why You Ought to Make The Recipe
Listed here are all the explanations to make these vibrant purple ube cheesecake bars:
The recipe makes use of ube, a Filipino ingredient and taste that’s at the moment “trending” and gaining popularity all over the place.
The New York Occasions lately launched its predictions for what we’ll eat in 2023, and included ube!
When you’re unfamilar with ube, try this weblog put up during which I deep-dive into this in style Filipino ingredient usually utilized in Asian desserts. I reply continuously requested questions like “What does ube style like?” and “The place do I purchase ube?” As a Filipino, I’ve been consuming ube all my life and am excited to see it turn out to be extra commonplace!
The recipe makes cheesecake bars, that are simpler to carry collectively than conventional cheesecake.
Most conventional cheesecake recipes instruct you to bake conventional 9- or 10-inch spherical cheesecakes in a water tub (also referred to as a bain-marie) for a lot of causes. The water tub helps the cheesecake bake evenly, making certain that the skin edges bake similtaneously the middle. Doing so prevents the cheesecake from puffing up across the edges, in addition to cracking and/or sinking within the center.
However as a result of we’re making cheesecake BARS with much less filling than conventional cheesecake, the bars don’t must be baked for as lengthy. You don’t must take any further steps to stop uneven baking or overcooking. Which means you’ll be able to skip the water tub!
The ube cheesecake bars retailer nicely.
Ube is usually a fairly refined taste. However as a result of these cheesecake bars must be chilled in a single day, I discovered that the ube flavors in them developed in depth and have become extra pronounced. You possibly can actually style ube’s refined pistachio and vanilla flavors in these bars!
The perfect half? The cheesecake bars retailer nicely. I say you’ll be able to refrigerate them for as much as 3 days, however realistically, they final lots longer than that. And the longer they sit, the extra flavorful they turn out to be.
Elements and Substitutions
Now that I’ve satisfied you to make these ube cheesecake bars, right here’s all the pieces it is advisable to make them:
Buying Checklist For Ube Cheesecake Bars
- graham crackers
- granulated sugar
- kosher salt
- unsalted butter
- cream cheese
- massive eggs
- bitter cream
- ube halaya jam
- ube extract
And let’s speak about some key substances and potential substitutions:
Frequent Ingredient Substitutions For The Recipe
- Graham Crackers. You possibly can substitute the graham cracker crumbs with different cookie crumbs comprised of Nilla vanilla wafers, Oreos, or my private favourite, speculoos cookies from Dealer Joe’s. You too can use gluten free graham crackers to make these ube cheesecake bars gluten free.
- Kosher Salt. No kosher salt? No drawback. Exchange the kosher salt with a beneficiant pinch of desk salt.
- Unsalted Butter. You possibly can substitute the unsalted butter with salted butter with none noticeable distinction in style.
- Bitter Cream. Swap the bitter cream for a similar quantity of unflavored yogurt (Greek or common) or crème fraîche.
- Ube Halaya Jam and Extract. Try my put up on the place to purchase ube halaya jam and extract. I’ve additionally included directions on how you can make ube halaya jam at house when you can’t discover it/need to make it from scratch!
How To Make Ube Cheesecake Bars
Listed here are the fundamental steps to make the ube cheesecake bars from scratch:
First, prep the substances.
- Prep the substances for the graham cracker crust and cheesecake filling. (Prep Time: 10 minutes)
To make graham cracker crumbs, use a digital scale to weigh out as many crackers as wanted to match the burden listed within the recipe. Use a meals processor to pulse the crackers into tremendous crumbs.
Subsequent, make the graham cracker crust.
- Make the graham cracker crust. (Work Time: <5 minutes)
- Assemble the graham cracker crust. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
The recipe instructs you to press the graham cracker combination into the pan to make the cheesecake crust. Use a tart tamper (or, in a pinch, the underside of a espresso mug or a heavy glass) to pound the crumbs in place. You need to apply some strain right here so the crust holds its form! - Bake the graham cracker crust. (Bake Time: quarter-hour)
When the graham cracker crust is finished, place it on a wire rack to let it cool barely earlier than filling it with the cheesecake filling. Be certain to go away the oven on—you’ll want it to bake the assembled cheesecake bars!
Then, make the cheesecake filling and ube swirl.
- Whereas the graham cracker crust cools barely, make the cheesecake filling. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
Guarantee that all of your substances are on the temperatures specified within the recipe earlier than beginning any of its steps. Chilly substances don’t combine collectively simply, making a lumpy cheesecake batter susceptible to cracking. - Make the ube cheesecake filling. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
Ube halaya jam is of course lumpy. If yours appears notably lumpy, heat the ube extract within the microwave for 10 to fifteen seconds, then whisk it vigorously into the ube halaya jam earlier than mixing into the cheesecake filling. Doing so will assist smoothen out a few of these lumps! - Assemble the ube cheesecake bars. (Work Time: 10 minutes)
At this level, the graham cracker crust will nonetheless be barely heat—that’s completely okay, I promise! The recipe instructs you to alternate spooning beneficiant dollops of the 2 cheesecake batters over the crust earlier than swirling them collectively. I used a 3-Tablespoon and a 4-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to take action rapidly and simply. - Bake the ube cheesecake bars. (Bake Time: 40 minutes)
Watch out to not overbake the cheesecake filling! When checking for doneness, the perimeters needs to be set. Nevertheless, the middle ought to nonetheless wobble ever-so-slightly!
Lastly, cool and chill the ube cheesecake bars.
- Cool the ube cheesecake bars to room temperature fully earlier than chilling. (Cool Time: 1 to 2 hours)
The recipe instructs you to chill the bars slowly within the oven. How? By turning off the oven, opening its door barely, and leaving the bars inside. Doing so will assist forestall the cheesecake filling from cracking—be taught extra within the subsequent part! - Refrigerate the ube cheesecake bars earlier than slicing and serving. (Chill Time: 4 hours+)
How To Make The Graham Cracker Crust (With Photographs!)
When making the graham cracker crust, it’s essential to use strain when urgent it into the pan. Doing so is what allows the crust to carry its form.
At first, it would seem to be there aren’t sufficient crumbs to unfold throughout the underside of the pan:
However as you press the crumbs into place, they may unfold sufficient to fill the underside of the pan. I used this tart tamper to assist with the duty, however you additionally use the underside of a espresso mug or a heavy glass to pound the crumbs in place:
When finished, the crust will appear like the picture beneath. Some of us prefer to press the crumbs half manner up the edges of the pan as nicely to create a crust for the bars’ sides, however I prefer to maintain my crust on the backside of the bars. But it surely’s as much as you if you wish to customise the bars!
How To Swirl The Cheesecake Filling (With Photographs!)
The recipe instructs you to alternate spooning beneficiant dollops of the 2 cheesecake batters over the ready crust—the picture beneath exhibits what this step appears like. Don’t fear when you get drops of cheesecake into the ube filling, and vice versa. All of it will get swirled collectively in the long run!
After you’ve crammed the pan on this manner, take a butter knife and swirl the 2 fillings collectively. Watch out to not overmix! You need the 2 fillings to nonetheless be distinct from each other:
Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ
I don’t have a 9-inch sq. pan for these ube cheesecake bars. What can I exploit as a substitute?
When you don’t have a 9-inch sq. pan, you need to use the next as a substitute:
- An 8-inch sq. pan. You’ll seemingly want to extend the Bake Time of the recipe by 5 to 10 minutes.
- A 9 x 13-inch pan. You possibly can double the recipe portions and bake the cheesecake in a 9 x 13-inch pan. You’ll find yourself with twice as many cheesecake bars. Bake Time ought to keep the identical.
Most cheesecake recipes instruct me to bake the cake in a water tub. So why don’t I want a water tub for cheesecake bars?
Recipes instruct you to bake conventional 9- or 10-inch spherical cheesecakes in a water tub (also referred to as a bain-marie) for a lot of causes. The water tub helps the cheesecake bake evenly, making certain that the skin edges bake similtaneously the middle. Doing so prevents the cheesecake from puffing up across the edges, in addition to cracking and/or sinking within the center.
However as a result of cheesecake bars are thinner and comprise much less batter than conventional cheesecakes, they bake sooner and extra evenly even with out a water tub.
My cheesecake bars cracked! What did I do incorrect?
Cheesecake bars can nonetheless crack for the the next causes:
- You didn’t use room temperature substances. Elements like cream cheese, eggs, and cream combine collectively higher after they’re at room temperature. That is particularly essential for cheesecake—you don’t need any lumps of unmixed cream cheese or eggs within the batter. These lumps might probably trigger cracks within the cheesecake. So make it possible for all of your substances are on the temperature listed within the recipe earlier than starting any of the recipe steps.
- You overmixed the cheesecake filling. Incorporating an excessive amount of air into cheesecake batter additionally causes cracks within the cheesecake. If utilizing a KitchenAid stand mixer, solely combine the cheesecake batter on pace “2” or decrease after including the eggs to the batter. Doing so prevents overbeating and/or overmixing the cheesecake batter.
- You didn’t cool it slowly after baking. Cheesecakes crack when they’re uncovered to sudden temperature adjustments. One of the crucial widespread causes of cracking comes from shifting the new cheesecake into a chilly room.
If your home runs chilly, you’ll be able to nonetheless cool the cheesecake slowly by leaving it within the oven after it’s finished baking. Flip off the oven, crack open the oven door in order that heat air can escape, and go away the bars within the oven for half-hour. After half-hour, open the oven door absolutely and permit the cheesecake to chill to room temperature fully earlier than chilling.
Are you able to freeze ube cheesecake bars?
Sure! Ube cheesecake bars freeze splendidly. You possibly can freeze the cheesecake bars unsliced or sliced.
To take action, chill the cheesecake bars within the pan for a minimum of 4 hours, however ideally in a single day. As soon as chilled, elevate the cheesecake bars utilizing the parchment paper as handles.
If freezing unsliced, place the cheesecake on a plate, uncovered, and freeze till stable, 1 to 2 hours. If freezing sliced, slice the cheesecake bars now and freeze till the slices are stable.
As soon as stable, tightly wrap the cheesecake in two layers of plastic wrap. If storing long run (that’s, for longer than 1 month), wrap in a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil helps forestall the cake from absorbing flavors and odors within the freezer. Freeze for as much as 6 months.
When able to serve, switch the cheesecake to the fridge to thaw in a single day. Earlier than serving, unwrap the cheesecake and thaw at room temperature for half-hour earlier than slicing.
Finest Recipe Ideas
Ideas About Elements
- To make graham cracker crumbs, use a digital scale to weigh out as many crackers as wanted to match the burden listed within the recipe. Use a meals processor to pulse the crackers into tremendous crumbs.
- Guarantee that all of your substances are on the temperatures specified within the recipe earlier than beginning any of its steps. Chilly substances don’t combine collectively simply, making a lumpy cheesecake batter susceptible to cracking. Try my article in Bon Appetit about how you can carry baking substances to room temperature rapidly!
Finest Tip For Slicing And Serving The Bars
- To get straight edges and clean sides if you slice the cheesecake, use a scorching serrated knife. Fill a tall, heatproof glass with VERY scorching water. Place the blade of the serrated knife within the water for 20 seconds. Use a kitchen towel to dry the knife. Use it to slice the cheesecake, dipping the knife into the water and drying it ever so usually, particularly if the filling begins sticking to the blade.
Extra Ube Recipes
Extra Cheesecake Recipes
Ube Cheesecake Bars Recipe
yield: 16 bars
Elements
For The Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups (7 ounces or 198 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup (1 stick or 4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled barely
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For The Cheesecake Filling
- 3 (8-ounce) packing containers cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (7 ounces or 198 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 massive eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) bitter cream, at room temperature
For The Ube Cheesecake Filling
Directions
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Prep the oven and pan. Place a rack within the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch sq. cake pan with parchment paper, leaving a minimum of a 2-inch overhang on two reverse sides. Layer a second sheet of parchment paper on high, perpendicular to the primary, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the remaining sides.
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Make the graham cracker crust. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Combine with a rubber spatula till the combination appears like moist sand.Pour the combination into the ready pan and use a tart tamper or your arms to press it evenly over the underside of the pan, all the best way to the perimeters. (You too can use the underside of a espresso mug or a heavy glass to pound the crumbs in place—you need to apply some strain right here so the crust holds its form.)
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Bake the graham cracker crust. Bake for quarter-hour. The crust will look underbaked and really feel gentle to the contact if you take away it from the oven, however will agency up because it cools. Cool the crust on a wire rack whilst you make the cheesecake fillings—be sure you maintain the oven on!
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Make the cheesecake filling. Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-low till gentle, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat till gentle and fluffy, about 1 minute, utilizing a rubber spatula to scrape down the underside and sides of the bowl as crucial.Cut back the mixer to low and add the eggs one after the other, including the following egg solely after the earlier one is absolutely integrated, scraping down the underside and sides of the bowl after every addition. With the mixer on low, add the bitter cream unexpectedly and beat till mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the underside and sides of the bowl as soon as extra, and beat on medium-high for an extra 30 seconds.
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Make the ube cheesecake swirl. Pour 1 ½ cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) of the cheesecake filling right into a medium bowl. Add the ube halaya jam and ube extract, and whisk till simply mixed.
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Assemble the ube cheesecake bars. Alternate spooning beneficiant dollops of the 2 cheesecake batters over the ready crust. Then, use a butter knife to mix the 2—watch out to not overmix! Faucet the pan on the counter 1 to 2 occasions to clean the filling high.
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Bake the ube cheesecake bars. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, till the perimeters are set however the middle nonetheless wobbles barely.
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Cool the ube cheesecake bars. As soon as the bars are finished, flip off the oven’s warmth. Open the oven door only a crack, propping it open with a heatproof cooking utensil like a picket spoon. Go away the bars within the oven for half-hour.After half-hour, take away the bars from the oven and place on a wire rack. Run a butter knife or offset spatula across the fringe of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Cool the bars fully within the pan on the wire rack.
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Chill the ube cheesecake bars. When the bars are cool, cowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate till the filling is agency, a minimum of 4 hours, ideally in a single day.
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Serve and retailer. Run a butter knife or offset spatula alongside the perimeters of the pan. Use the overhanging parchment paper as handles to elevate the bars out of the pan and onto a slicing board. Use a scorching knife to slice 2.25-inch squares and serve. The cheesecake bars may be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Notes
- To make graham cracker crumbs, use a digital scale to weigh out as many crackers as wanted to match the burden listed within the recipe. Use a meals processor to pulse the crackers into tremendous crumbs.
- Guarantee that all of your substances are on the temperatures specified within the recipe earlier than beginning any of its steps. Chilly substances don’t combine collectively simply, making a lumpy cheesecake batter susceptible to cracking. Try my article in Bon Appetit about how you can carry baking substances to room temperature rapidly!
- To get straight edges and clean sides if you slice the cheesecake, use a scorching serrated knife. Fill a tall, heatproof glass with VERY scorching water. Place the blade of the serrated knife within the water for 20 seconds. Use a kitchen towel to dry the knife. Use it to slice the cheesecake, dipping the knife into the water and drying it ever so usually, particularly if the filling begins sticking to the blade.
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NO TIME TO BAKE?!
Over the previous a number of years of working Hummingbird Excessive, I saved an important side of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extraordinarily demanding job within the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I lastly reveal the secrets and techniques to baking scrumptious desserts on a good schedule.
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