Well, unless you’re mashing up two things that are great separately and gross together, like steak and whipped cream. No, thank you. But when the mash-up combines the best of both worlds, mama is happy.
What could be better than a raspberry crumb bar, you wonder? How about a raspberry crumb bar with cheesecake filling? Do I have your attention now?
The school year starts in two weeks and I’m in overdrive, but I have to pause and fulfill my civic duty. Yep, that’s right. Jury duty calls!
This is the fourth time I’ve ever been on jury duty, and the second time in two years. Lest you think I am a star juror, banish that thought from your mind. That’s not it. I must have some kind of force that emits rays to jury selection people. Otherwise, my popularity makes no sense.
Years ago, I was called to a six-week jury trial at the beginning of summer. They took four days to make a selection, and the whole time I was really worried that I would lose my entire summer vacation to our justice system. Thanks to the powers above, I wasn’t selected and my summer remained intact. But close call!
Kenny was also called to jury duty a few weeks ago, and he was so excited. Unlike me, he’s never served before, so it was a novelty for him. He went very happily and waited to be called, and…nope. They dismissed him around noon. But he can feel good that he’s off the hook for another few years. Maybe.
Whenever I have jury duty, snacks are important. They keep me cheerful during the monotonous hours of waiting for something to happen. The thing is, though, the snacks have to be easily packed. That’s where these bars come into play!
The bottom and top are made of the same crumbly oat mix (gluten-free, of course). I like to double up on the raspberry jam by first spreading some over the bottom layer, pouring in the cheesecake filling, and then dolloping some more on top, swirling it with a knife. And on top? Those miraculous crumbs!
I might have to do my civic duty for the umpteenth time in my relatively young life, but I’ll do it happily as long as I’m kept fortified. These raspberry cheesecake crumb bars should do the trick!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, brown sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until crumbly.
- Set aside about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the mixture. Take the remaining crumb mixture and press it firmly into the prepared pan.
- Spread the 1/2 of the raspberry jam over the bottom layer.
- In a medium bowl, make the filling. Combine the cream cheese, egg and sugar, mixing well until smooth. A fully softened cream cheese is ideal (I leave mine on the counter for an hour) to prevent a lumpy batter.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the bottom layer. Take the remaining raspberry jam and spoon it onto the filling in even intervals. Use a knife to gently swirl the jam into the cheesecake filling.
- Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the filling layer evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool completely. Chill overnight.
- Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.