Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

It's time for me to start adding more recipes that I make to my blog since I use it as my cookbook. I made this one for my family Easter dinner. I was looking for an Easter cheesecake bars recipe, and I found this at The Girl Who Ate Everything. It takes quite a few lemons to get the zest and juice, so stock up. It turned out pretty and delicious, sweet with a bit of sour. Doesn't it look perfect for Easter? 

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Crust
1 1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 heaping T. lemon zest
2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
Blueberry Topping
2 c. fresh blueberries
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 T. lemon juice
Cream Cheese Layer
2 (8-oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 t. lemon zest
1 T. vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350° and line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

Crust: Beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until creamy. Add the flour and salt and beat until combined. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Topping: Combine blueberries, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries are just soft, 5 - 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Cream cheese layer: Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Spread cream cheese mixture onto warm crust and smooth top. Dollop blueberry topping randomly over top of cream cheese layer. Gently pull a knife tip through the top to create swirls.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes until topping is set. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until well chilled.

Cheese Fatayer

Several months ago I was on the hunt for Aleppo pepper and nigella seeds so that I could make these fatayers that I found at Hajar's blog Moribyan. They didn't have either in several stores that I went. After finding Aleppo pepper in a grocery store not too far away, I was finally able to find the nigella seeds at a Middle Eastern market. Nigella seeds look like black sesame seeds. Aleppo pepper looks similar to crushed red pepper, but it's not spicy. 

The instructions are to make 12 delicious fatayers, but you can make them bigger or smaller if you'd like. 

Cheese Fatayer

Dough

2 2/3 c. all-purpose flour, additional as needed
1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. instant yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
1/2 T. sugar
2 T. olive oil
2 T. plain yogurt
Milk or heavy cream (or beaten egg white), for brushing

Cheese Filling

3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. crumbled feta cheese
1 T. parsley, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 t. onion powder
1 t. dried mint
1 t. Aleppo pepper
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. nigella seeds

Add the flour, salt, yeast, water, sugar, olive oil, and plain yogurt to a large mixing bowl. Mix using a hook attachment on a stand mixer or knead it by hand. Knead together for 2 to 3 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. It should be a bit sticky but not difficult to handle. If it is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until not sticky.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover it and let it rest in a warm place for an hour or until double in size.

While the dough rests, prepare the cheese filling. Combine mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parsley, egg, onion powder, mint, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and nigella seeds in a bowl. Set aside until assembly.

After an hour, preheat oven to 475°. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions, pinching each piece into a tight ball. Stretch each piece out longways and then shape it into an oval/football shape.

Add a generous amount of cheese filling to the center and fold over the left and right sides while pinching the top and bottom to create a shape that looks like a boat.

Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with milk, heavy cream, or egg white. Repeat with the rest.

Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown on the edges.