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Recipe For "The Birds" Cinnamon Cherry Chessecake Bars |
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Written by Rachael
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A seaside town is attacked by birds. You wouldn't think a plot line like that would fly (pardon the pun), but this was no ordinary movie.
After all "The Birds" was an Alfred Hitchcock film. No one builds suspense like him (even today) and puts an incredible twist of humor that shocks and amazes, to go along with it. "The Birds" is one of my favorite Hitchcock films just for the fact that there is this plot that is unbelievable and some how it tricks you into believing that it is probable.
Nothing embodies the spirit of this movie like my cinnamon cherry cheesecake bars. Strange, you may think (only at first), but let me plead my case and you will soon see what I mean.
First, we have the cheesecake part of the bar. This part is inspired by the ultimate Hitchcock blond Tippi Hedren. In "The Birds" she is the character that the whole movie revolves around. Hitchcock always wanted his actresses to be platinum blonde. You could say with hair almost white, it was so blonde. It is just like the color of our cheesecake. Sophisticated....a Hitchcock blonde must always be sophisticated, just like the taste of the cheesecake. Last of all, the Hitchcock girl must portray coldness. A Hitchcock blonde is best when icy cool. Unapproachable and witty is the way they always were. Tippi Hedren was no exception and you could say that she was as cold as cheesecake.
Underneath the cake we have a buttery crust of cinnamon graham crackers. That's the surprise you don't see coming. It makes every bite something special. That part of the bars I would call the bird element. "The Birds" is primarily about the people in it, but it just so happens that they are being attacked by birds. It's what gives the movie that extra punch. Would you watch a movie about an overprotective mother who is trying to be won over by her son's girlfriend? Probably not, but if they were being attacked by birds at the same time you would.
Let's talk about the deliciously beautiful and red cherry topping that we put on top of our sour cream topping. Vivid and sweet it makes the dessert all that much more perfect. There's nothing more beautiful than the colors and shots within "The Birds." The movie was done in Technicolor. The colors are so bright and sharp that they are almost startling to the eye. It makes the audience focus. Just like how the cherry pie filling makes you focus all your attention on the full flavor of the bar.
For a "The Birds" inspired cheesecake bar, try this:
"The Birds' Cinnamon Cherry Cheesecake Bars"*
Ingredients: ½ cup melted butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 16 oz cherry pie filling, 1 and ¾ cups crushed cinnamon graham crackers, 16 oz softened cream cheese, 16 oz sour cream, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup Splenda, and 3 lightly beaten eggs.
1) In a bowl combine the graham crackers, butter, 1/8 cup sugar, and 1/8 cup Splenda. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Put aside.
2) Beat the cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ cup Splenda. Mix the eggs in on low speed. Then put in 1 tsp of the vanilla extract. Pour onto the crust.
3) Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand for 5 minutes. Combine the sour cream, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup Splenda, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Spread over the cheesecake . Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least four hours. Cut into squares. Pour cherry pie filling on the top.
4) Enjoy along with the excitement and spice of a great Hitchcock classic.
*Base for recipe from the Taste of Home and I molded it from there.
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