We found that trying to add fresh strawberries, whether chopped or pureed, directly to the filling compromised the creamy texture of the cheesecake layer and prevented the bars from setting up correctly. Instead, we pureed the fresh berries and stirred them into a sweetened sour cream topping that we spread over the almost-done filling. After letting the bars cool and chilling them, we garnished each square with one strawberry slice. The result was perfect—strong strawberry flavor with no sacrifice of the cheesecake’s signature creaminess.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Note: Be sure to let the crust cool completely before starting the filling.Makes 24 2-inch bars
