Strawberry Dream Bars Recipes

STRAWBERRY DREAM

Steps:

• Prepare strawberry puree: Mix quartered strawberries and sugar in a 2-cup liquid measure or bowl. Let sit and macerate for 1 hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend into a smooth puree. Pass through a mesh strainer to remove seeds, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Prepare cream mixture: Combine sugar and cream in a saucepan. Set heat to medium-high and bring to a boil while whisking occasionally; be careful, since cream can easily boil over. Once cream just starts to boil, reduce heat to between medium and medium-low and maintain a steady simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in vanilla, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of the reserved strawberry puree until completely incorporated. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• While the cream is cooling, pour the remaining strawberry puree evenly into 4 dessert glasses.
• Pour the cooled cream mixture into the glasses. Wrap with plastic wrap and pop in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, prepare topping: Toss diced strawberries and sugar together in a small bowl. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill alongside the strawberry dreams.
• When ready to serve, remove strawberry dreams and topping from the refrigerator. Stir the topping and spoon strawberries and any accumulated juices on top of each dream.

NO-BAKE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• For the cookie crust: Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
• Whisk together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. Press the cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, 45 to 60 minutes.
• For the cheesecake filling: While the cookie crust chills, add the cream cheese, strawberries, sugar and vanilla to a blender. Blend mixture starting at low speed and bring it up to high until smooth. (If needed, use the tamper to push all the ingredients down towards the blades. This will ensure everything is blended evenly and smoothly.) Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add half of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold in using a rubber spatula. Repeat with remaining whipped cream.
• Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled crust, spread and smooth with a spatula.
• Freeze the cheesecake for at least 4 hours. Use the parchment overhang to remove cheesecake from the pan and use a hot knife to cut into 9 bars. Keep frozen and put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
• To serve the bars, place the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a rosette of whipped cream on top of each bar. Gently place the blueberries and strawberries on top of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

RHUBARB DREAM BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and the confectioners' sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Pat into a lightly greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned., In a large bowl, combine sugar and remaining flour. Add eggs. Stir in the rhubarb, walnuts and coconut; pour over crust. Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM DESSERT SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 15x10x1- or 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until chips are melted and can be stirred smooth. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in melted chips until blended. Spread mixture over crust. Refrigerate while making topping.
• In small bowl, crush 1 cup of the strawberries. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Stir in crushed strawberries and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in food color. Cool 10 minutes. Gently stir in remaining 3 cups strawberries. Spoon topping over filling. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set; serve within 4 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

STRAWBERRY STREUSEL BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, place cookie mix. Cut in butter and cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly (do not overmix). Press 3 cups mixture in bottom of pan. To remaining cookie mixture, stir in oats; set aside. Bake cookie base 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
• In medium bowl, mix Filling ingredients. Spread mixture on partially baked crust. Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over filling.
• Bake 26 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown and bubbling along edges. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 2 hours before cutting. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars.

DREAM BARS

Steps:

• Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with foil so that it covers the bottom and overhangs 2 sides by at least 1-inch. Tuck the overlap around the outside of the pan. Coat with nonstick vegetable spray.
• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, and the pecans. Work in the butter, rubbing and pinching it between your fingertips, until the mixture looks mealy and lumpy. Lightly pat the streusel onto the bottom of the pan.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar until doubled in volume. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• In another bowl, sift together the remaining 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, and salt, then beat into the egg mixture. Spread on top of the streusel.
• Sprinkle on the coconut and the sweetened condensed milk. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the first tiny bubbles come up. Set on a rack to cool. Run a knife around the 2 unfoiled pan sides to loosen, then lift the whole cake out of the pan. Cut into 2-inch bars.

STRAWBERRY CRUMBLE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Stir 1/2 cup white sugar and cornstarch together in a medium bowl. Mix in 1 cup sliced strawberries at a time.
• Combine flour, remaining 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter and egg with a fork until crumbly.
• Press 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the prepared pan. Cover with strawberry mixture, then top with remaining crumble mixture.
• Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Place in the refrigerator before slicing into 16 bars.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• TO BEGIN: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Spray with vegetable oil spray.
• FOR THE CRUST: Process cracker pieces and sugar in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add flour and salt and pulse to combine, about 2 pulses. Add melted butter and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened, about 10 pulses.
• Using your hands, press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Using bottom of dry measuring cup, firmly pack crust into pan. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely. (Allowing to cool completely is very important to the end result.).
• FOR THE FILLING: In clean, dry processor bowl, process cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. With processor running, add eggs, one at a time, until just incorporated, about 30 seconds total. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add vanilla and process to combine, about 10 seconds. Pour cream cheese mixture over cooled crust. Bake until center is almost set but still jiggles slightly when pan is shaken, about 45 minutes.
• FOR THE TOPPING: Meanwhile, in clean, dry processor bowl, process 6 ounces strawberries and ½ cup sugar until pureed, about 30 seconds. Stir strawberry puree and sour cream in bowl until combined.
• Remove cheesecake from oven. Pour strawberry mixture over cheesecake (cheesecake layer should be completely covered). Return pan to oven and bake until topping is just set, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer pan to wire rack and let cheesecake cool completely, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Slice remaining 5 strawberries thin and gently toss with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar in bowl. Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 24 squares. Garnish each square with 1 strawberry slice and serve.