These moreish Strawberry and Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars are topped with a delicious homemade jelly topping! No bake cheesecake – the perfect make ahead dessert!
Strawberries and rhubarb. Is there a better summer flavour combination?
The sweetness of those strawberries offsets the tartness of the rhubarb – complimenting each other perfectly.
I’ve cooked them up together and turned them into a jelly (or jello if you’re not from the UK!) topping for my no-bake vanilla cheesecake.
Make it ahead, and you’ve got a dessert in the fridge perfect for any Summer party or BBQ!
First pulse some biscuits into crumbs and add butter, then pack into a lined baking tin.
Next make the cheesecake layer by whipping cream, then whisking in cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar.
Top the biscuit base with the cheesecake mixture and refrigerate. To make the topping, simmer strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and juice in a pan, then stir in gelatine until dissolved.
Once that’s cooled, pour it on top of the cheesecake and place in the fridge until set.
Sixteen bars of no-bake summer dessert. All for me.
Ok, I might let you have a slice.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes! Replace the digestive biscuits with gluten free digestives
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make this dessert, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days
Will it freeze?
No, this dessert won’t freeze well
Other flavour ideas:
- Blueberry and lemon
- sliced peach or plum
- Cherry (add a few drops of almond extract to the cream cheese mixture too)
The Strawberry and Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars Recipe:
These moreish Strawberry and Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars are topped with a delicious homemade jelly topping! No baking required. The perfect make ahead dessert!
- 170 g strawberries hulled and chopped into small pieces
- 160 g fresh rhubarb chopped into small pieces
- 50 g granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 sheets leaf gelatine or 1 tbsp of powdered gelatine
- 200 g digestive biscuits crushed into fine crumbs (or graham crackers)
- 120 g unsalted butter melted
- 180 ml double (heavy) cream
- 360 g cream cheese - I used Philadelphia
- 150 g icing sugar (confectioners'/powedered sugar) sifted
- 1 pinch of salt
- Zest of 2 limes
Place the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 tsp of vanilla extract into a saucepan. Bring to a gently bubble, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until the rhubarb softens.
Stir the gelatine into the strawberry and rhubarb mixture until completely dissolved, then turn off the heat and leave to cool until only slightly warm (try not to leave longer than this, as it may start to set).
- Next, place the biscuit crumbs into a bowl and mix in the melted butter until thoroughly combined.
- Spoon into a 20cm x 20cm baking dish that has been lined with clingfilm and use the back of a spoon to pack it down tightly. Place in the fridge whilst you start on the next layer.
Add the cream to a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk, until the cream holds its shape.
Add the cream cheese, icing sugar, the remaining 1 tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then whisk again until combined.
Take the biscuit base out of the refrigerator and spread this layer on top. Put back in the fridge to chill until the strawberry & rhubarb mixture has cooled.
Once cooled, spoon the strawberry &rhubarb mixture onto the cheesecake base, spread to ensure even coverage and place back in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
- When ready to serve, remove from the dish and slice into 16 pieces. Sprinkle on the lime zest and serve.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes! Replace the digestive biscuits with gluten free digestives
.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make this dessert, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days
.
Will it freeze?
No, this dessert won't freeze well
.
Nutritional Information is per cheesecake bar
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Connie Hoffman says
What do you mean digestive biscuits?
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Connie, they’re a very well known biscuit in the UK. You can replace with Graham crackers if you’re in the US.