By Dianne Bunis

New England blueberries are in season and available at the local farmers market. This no-bake desert is a cinch to make and delicious. The neufchatel cheese is lower in fat than regular cream cheese and any seasonal berry or combination of can be used.

No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Bars

Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour's chilling

Yield: 8 to 12 servings

8 whole graham crackers, crushed

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 8-ounce package of neufchatel cheese, at room temperature

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons honey

1 tsp. lemon juice

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups blueberries; raspberries or blackberries can be substituted or combined

Directions: Combine crushed graham crackers and melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of an 8-inch square glass pan to form a crust about 1/4-inch thick. Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Using a standing or hand mixer, or a whisk, combine neufchatel cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon juice and salt, and blend until smooth. Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust using a spatula to smooth top. Cover with fresh berries and chill for at least an hour or until set. Cut into squares and serve.

Advertisement