Ube Cheesecake Bars Recipe - Hummingbird High

Prep the oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
Line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides. Layer a second sheet of parchment paper on top, perpendicular to the first, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the remaining sides.
Make the graham cracker crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Mix with a rubber spatula until the mixture looks like wet sand.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use a tart tamper or your hands to press it evenly over the bottom of the pan, all the way to the edges. (You can also use the bottom of a coffee mug or a heavy glass to pound the crumbs in place—you want to apply some pressure here so the crust holds its shape.)
Bake the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes. The crust will look underbaked and feel soft to the touch when you remove it from the oven, but will firm up as it cools.
Cool the crust on a wire rack while you make the cheesecake fillings—be sure to keep the oven on!
Make the cheesecake filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-low until soft, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
Reduce the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, adding the next egg only after the previous one is fully incorporated, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.
With the mixer on low, add the sour cream all at once and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more, and beat on medium-high for an additional 30 seconds.
Make the ube cheesecake swirl. Pour 1 ½ cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) of the cheesecake filling into a medium bowl. Add the ube halaya jam and ube extract, and whisk until just combined.
Assemble the ube cheesecake bars. Alternate spooning generous dollops of the two cheesecake batters over the prepared crust. Then, use a butter knife to combine the two—be careful not to overmix! Tap the pan on the counter 1 to 2 times to smooth the filling top.
Bake the ube cheesecake bars. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still wobbles slightly.
Cool the ube cheesecake bars. Once the bars are done, turn off the oven's heat. Open the oven door just a crack, propping it open with a heatproof cooking utensil like a wooden spoon. Leave the bars in the oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the bars from the oven and place on a wire rack. Run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.
Cool the bars completely in the pan on the wire rack.
Chill the ube cheesecake bars. When the bars are cool, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling is firm, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Serve and store. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges of the pan. Use the overhanging parchment paper as handles to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a hot knife to slice 2.25-inch squares and serve.
The cheesecake bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Ingredients

For The Graham Cracker Crust

For The Cheesecake Filling

For The Ube Cheesecake Filling

Equipment

Instructions

Notes