Strawberry sauce:

• Begin with the strawberry sauce, as it will need time to cool before assembling. 
• Combine ½ tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. 
• Combine strawberries, 1 tablespoon of water, and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat.
• As the mixture begins to cook, stir and break up the strawberries. 
• Once the mixture begins to simmer, stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Continue to stir and allow the mixture to simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until most of the strawberries have broken down and the sauce has slightly thickened. Remove from heat. 
• Using a mesh strainer, strain the mixture to remove seeds and any strawberries that didn’t break down. 
• Set aside and allow to cool completely. 

 

Pistachio crust: 

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to be able to lift out the cheesecake bars when finished. Set aside. 
• In a food processor or blender, pulse pistachios until it resembles coarse flour. Make sure to not over-process as you don’t want to make pistachio butter. Plus, a few chunks of pistachios give the crust a great texture. 
• In a medium bowl, combine grounded pistachios, flour, sugar, and salt. 
• Stir melted butter and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
• Transfer to the prepared 8x8 pan, firmly pressing down the crust into the bottom of the pan. 
• Prebake the crust for 13-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while preparing cheesecake filling. 

 

Cheesecake filling: 

• Reduce the oven temperature to 325° and ensure all ingredients are at room temperature. 
• In a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on low-medium speed for about 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and cream together on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. 
• Continue to mix at low speed, add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. Add in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and heavy cream mix until combined and smooth. 

 

Assembling Strawberry Pistachio Cheesecake Bars

• Pour cheesecake filling into the prebaked and slightly cooled pistachio crust. 
• Drizzle strawberry sauce on the top. Using a toothpick, knife, or chopstick, swirl together the cheesecake filling and strawberry sauce. 
• Ensure oven temperature is at 325° and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until sides of the cheesecakes look set and the middle has a slight jiggle. 
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover, and move to the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours. If you have additional time, overnight is ideal as it gives more time for the flavors to develop and firm up.