Daring Bakers Nov 2012 - Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

These cheesecake bars are the result of a kitchen disaster. It all started out with Peta of Peta Eats challenging us to make a celebration cookie, square or bar for this months Daring Bakers challenge. She provided us with 12 recipes and I chose the Chocolate and Caramel Turtle Bars as they looked really yum.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't cook my caramel layer for the bars properly and all I had in the end was a big buttery mess. I didn't want to throw all those good ingredients so I reached out to Peta asking her how I could re purpose my failed bars. She gave me the brilliant idea to crush them up and use as a cheesecake base. I took this idea and made a two layer cheesecake bar. The bottom layer is nutty, chocolatey and dark while the top layer is smooth, sweet and silky. What a fabulous result!

Recipe Source - Adapted from Peta of Peta Eats and Annie's Eats

Ingredients
For The Crust (My crust was the failed turtle bar but I have given a recipe below to imitate the flavour)
1 Cup Pecans or Walnuts
2 Cups Crushed Digestive Biscuits or Graham Crackers
100 Gms Dark Chocolate
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Melted Butter

For The Cheesecake Layer
8 Oz Cream Cheese (At room temperature)
4 Tbsp Sugar
4 Tbsp Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream
1 Large Egg
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
A pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 Degree F (162 Degree C). Line a 9 X 3 inch rectangle pan or 8 X 8 inch square pan with foil overhanging from the sides.

Make The Crust

1. Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts until finely chopped. Add the biscuit crumbs, chocolate and sugar and process till the chocolate is broken into smaller bits. Add the butter and pulse till combined.

2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave the oven on at the same temperature.

Make The Filling

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and beat on medium high for 2 minutes till smooth.

2. Add the sugar and beat till well combined.

3. Add the yogurt/sour cream, vanilla and salt. Beat till combined.

4. Beat in the egg till well combined.

Assemble and Bake

1. Pour the cheesecake batter on the crust and level with an offset spatula.

2. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes till the edges are browned and the center is slightly wobbly.

3. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 3 hours. Cut into bars and serve. Store covered in fridge.

Happy Eating!