Kate’s Red Carpet Blackberry Cheesecake Squares

From Second Chance at the Sugar Shack

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F, with one shelf in the middle of the oven and one shelf lower.

Crust

• 1 pkg cinnamon graham crackers (about 10 crackers)
• 
1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons melted butter


Crush cinnamon graham crackers in a bowl. Mix sugar into crumbs. Mix in melted butter. The mixture will be crumbly. Press lightly into a greased 8-inch square baking dish.

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 
3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 
1 egg
• 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 cup sour cream


Whip cream cheese with sugar till smooth. Add egg, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Mix together then add sour cream and whip for 1 minute.

Pour cream cheese mix over the crumb layer. Place a baking tray or similar container full of hot water on the lower shelf of the oven. Bake the cheesecake on the middle shelf for approximately 50 minutes. For the creamiest possible cheese layer, allow to cool slowly in the oven with the oven door ajar, up to an hour.

Glaze

• 1 cup blackberry jelly

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Melt jelly in a small saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. While stirring the mix, add the dissolved cornstarch. Cook 30 seconds or until thickened; remove from heat. Check the sweetness. You may wish to adjust by adding either lemon juice or sugar. Cool glaze slightly. With a spoon, drizzle glaze over top of cheesecake.

Garnish

• 1-2 cups ripe blackberries


Rinse the blackberries and gently place them on paper towels to dry. When cheesecake is cool, arrange the berries on top.

Refrigerate, then cut into squares.