Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add in cubed unsalted butter. Mix with an electric hand mixer until the butter is well dispersed and the mixture becomes crumbly.
Pour the shortbread crumbles into the prepared 8x8 baking pan and press into the bottom of the pan to create the crust.
Bake the crust for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and granulated sugar. Cream together with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
Add in vanilla extract and egg and continue to mix until combined and smooth.

Add egg yolks, granulated sugar, and lemon juice to a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined. Place over low heat on the stovetop. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Once the mixture thickens, add in lemon zest and stir until combined. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cubed unsalted butter, one piece at a time, whisking in between each addition until combined and smooth.
Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-proof container to remove any lumps. Cool the lemon curd to room temperature and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.

Combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter in a small bowl. Mix to make a crumbly streusel topping.

Reduce the heat of the oven to 325° F.
Spread the cheesecake filling onto the cooled shortbread crust. Use an offset spatula to create an even layer.
Drizzle the lemon curd filling over the cheesecake filling and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle on the crumb topping in an even layer.
Bake the lemon cheesecake bars for 30-35 minutes. The center of the bars will still be a bit jiggly.
Cool the bars to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. To serve, lift the lemon cheesecake bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into squares.

Lemon cheesecake bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

I recommend making the lemon curd filling the day before you make the lemon bars as it must chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.