Make ahead and store in the freezer until ready to serve!
Ingredients
Crust
½cunsalted butter, melted and still warm
1 ¼cground toasted pecans
¾ctoasted, quick cook oats, coarsely ground
⅓cbrown sugar, packed
½tspof salt
Lemon Filling
8ozcream cheese, room temperature
114 ozcan sweetened condensed milk
¾cheavy whipping cream
½cMeyer lemon juice
Zest of 1 large Meyer lemon
2tspvanilla
Strawberry Jam Swirl
makes about 1/2 cup
1cstrawberries
¼csugar
¼cwater
½tsplemon juice
Pinchof salt
Instructions
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the strawberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir semi-frequently until the sugar dissolves and is no longer grainy. Reduce the heat to low and cook until strawberries soften and disintegrate—about 30 minutes. As the water evaporates, the strawberries will thicken into a syrup consistency; continue cooking until it can just coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature in the refrigerator.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the toasted pecans, toasted oats, sugar, salt, and warm, melted butter. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes (to hydrate the oats), then press into the bottom of a 9x13’’ pan. Refrigerate or freeze.
In a small mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream to stiff peaks and set aside in the refrigerator.
In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth, then, using a spoon, gently fold in the cold whipped cream—make sure to lift rather than press down, to keep the filling fluffy.
Reserve 1/2 c of the filling, then spread it onto the crust in a single layer. Next, dollop the cooled strawberry jam into 8-10 circles. Using a thick wooden skewer, or similar utensil, swirl the jam into the filling. Next, divide the remaining 1/2 cup of filling onto the strawberry swirls, specifically in places where the swirls aren’t well defined, and swirl once more. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or until firm enough to cut.
Using a sharp knife that has been warmed under running water, cut the bars into 9-12 squares. The bars defrost quite fast and will change from a dense, creamy texture to a light, creamy one. Store any leftovers in the freezer.