Raising the bar

...bar cookie, that is.

The photo is not my finest. Make your own. Eat them. You won’t care about the photo after. Promise.

Let’s avoid all the chit-chat that often goes with recipe posts. If you like the idea of tender shortbread topped with a layer of raspberry jam, which is then topped with a lush lemony cheesecake, then you should make these.

Also: While the bar seems complicated (it has three layers after all), each is easy to assemble.

These store well in the fridge, freeze well and would be a welcome gift.

These bars speak for themselves, which is why I don’t need to say much at all.

Lemon-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

What You’ll Need:

For the shortbread base:

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

5 ounces seedless raspberry jam

For the cheesecake layer:

16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest (or to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with baking spray or grease with butter. Then line the pan with foil, so that the foil overhangs the edges of the pan, which will make lifting the cheesecake bars out for cutting easier.

2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until softened and ready to receive the other ingredients. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and beat until combined and lighter in color in texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl (but you knew that), and add the flour. Beat until incorporated and a clumps of dough have formed (not one giant clump).

3. Sprinkle the dough clumps over the bottom of the prepared pan and like a dainty cat, pat, pat, pat the dough down into the pan (not up the sides) to form a layer. Will it be perfectly smooth? No. How could it with those paws of yours?

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the dough is golden. It should be baked through.

5. At this point you can leave the dough to cool on a rack until you’re good and ready to finish up the recipe.

6. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the jam evenly across the shortbread base.

7. Make the cheesecake: With a hand or stand mixer, on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down between each addition. Scrape down the sides one more time (And the bottom, too. You know stuff gets stuck under there). Give the batter another quick whirl in the mixer for 20 to 30 seconds to ensure it’s well-combined.

8. Pour the batter onto the shortbread and jam base. Bake until it is just set. It shouldn’t jiggle like Santa’s belly, but it also shouldn’t be immovable like my washboard abs (oh, stop laughing). The cheesecake may brown in spots. Don’t fret. Let cool on a rack completely before refrigerating. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if the spots bother you. Eat with a fork. Alternatively, you can cut it into squares and share.

Do you have a favorite bar cookie? Or is there a special bar cookie you wish you had a recipe for? LMK in the comments.

Bosco won a gold medal today at my son’s crew fundraiser … for being adorable.