Mimicking the flavors of the eponymous Cuban cocktail, this beverage-turned-dessert transforms the slightly sweet minty-fresh taste into a decadent cheesecake creation worthy of an elevated teatime. Pictured with our Apricot-Orange Tea Bread and Marzipan-crowned Lemon-Thyme Shortbread.
Mojito Cheesecake Bars
Serves: 25
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1⁄4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3⁄4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 teaspoon rum extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3⁄4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh lime zest
- 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
- Garnish: lime slices and mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, letting edges hang over sides of pan to use as handles. Spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, heat together butter and mint over medium-low heat until butter melts and mint wilts, approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat, discard mint, and pour butter into a large heatproof bowl. Add graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt to butter, stirring until well combined. Using a small straight-sided measuring cup, press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake until edges of crust are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a layer of heavy-duty foil.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and position oven rack in bottom one- third of oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer at medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, approximately 1 minute. Beat in flour, rum extract, remaining 3⁄4 cup sugar, and remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt until incorporated. Beat in eggs thoroughly, one at a time, at medium- low speed, scraping sides and bottom of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream, lime zest, and lime juice at medium-low speed until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Using an offset spatula, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled graham cracker crust. On a kitchen towel–lined countertop, tap pan to eliminate air bubbles.
- Place a roasting pan in oven; place baking pan in center of roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of baking pan.
- Bake until edges of cheesecake are set and center jiggles slightly when gently shaken, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours.
- Refrigerate cheesecake in pan on a wire rack overnight, loosely covering with foil only when completely cooled to prevent condensation from forming on top of cheesecake.
- Using parchment paper handles, carefully lift cold cheesecake from pan onto a clean cutting surface. Using a hot, dry knife, trim cheese- cake edges to neaten and cut cheesecake into 25 (1 1⁄2-inch) squares. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves, if desired.
