Hello from California! In these uncertain times I think that it is important to keep busy, especially in between binging hours of movies or insane shows like Netflix’s “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness.” Seriously, if you have not watched that show yet, you certainly should because it is one of the craziest things I have watched in a while! One of the ways that I like to use my time is obviously baking and dessert decorating. I recently developed a new recipe for delightfully decadent chocolate cheesecake.

I have always felt like cheesecake is one of those rich and comforting desserts, so I figured why not post my chocolate cheesecake recipe in the hopes that you try it out and love it as much as I and my taste-testers did! This post focuses specifically on chocolate cheesecake bars, but my basic chocolate cheesecake recipe can be used for more than just a regular cheesecake bar. I will expand upon in an upcoming post. Without further ado, here is how to make chocolate cheesecake bars:

Make the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray it with non-sick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until they are well combined. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add 1 sick of unsalted butter. Microwave in increments of 5-10 seconds at a time until the butter is completely melted. Slowly mix the butter into the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Once all the butter is thoroughly mixed into the crumbs and sugar, place this mixture onto the foil-lined sheet pan. Spread into an even layer and press down so that the mixture forms a flat sheet at the bottom of the pan.

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool down while you work on the cheesecake component. Make sure to turn the oven temperature down to 325°F.

Prepare the Cheesecake:

Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir to move the chocolate around the bowl. Continue to heat the chocolate in 10-15 second increments until the chocolate is completely melted, making sure to stir the chocolate between each heating. Set the chocolate aside to cool slightly while working on the rest of the cheesecake batter.

Add granulated sugar and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, mix on a low speed until the ingredients are combined, and then mix on medium-high speed until they are light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Next, add the sour cream and mix until well combined. Then, add the unsweetened dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on a low speed until the mixture is well combined. Next, add the room temperature eggs one at a time and mixing until each is just combined. Finally, add the melted chocolate and mix until it is just combined.

Pour the cheesecake batter onto the graham cracker crust and gently smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cheesecake bars for approximately 40-50 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set in the center of the pan. Once the cheesecake is done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Make the Ganache:

Add 1 cup white chocolate and ¼ cup heavy whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and leave the bowl in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Once you remove the bowl from the microwave, mix the chocolate and the cream together. If there still appears to be pieces of white chocolate that have not been melted, place back in the microwave and heat for an additional 15-20 seconds at a time (stirring in between each heating) until all the white chocolate is completely melted. Set the white chocolate ganache aside to slightly cool, approximately 5 minutes. Pour the ganache onto the cooled cheesecake and spread into a thin layer.

Finishing the Cheesecake Bars:

To make the design on top of the cheesecake bars, I used raspberry jam in which I removed the seeds. I added the jam to a piping bag and piped parallel lines on top of the ganache. Next, I used a cake tester stick (or a toothpick) to drag along the top of the ganache and jam. I drew lines perpendicular to the piped lines of jam. Finally, I used the cake tester to draw perpendicular lines in the jam, but in the opposite direction.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Recipe by Carly PrestonCourse: DessertDifficulty: Medium

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 packs (8oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/4-1/2 cup raspberry jam (optional)

Directions

• Make the Crust:
  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray it with non-sick cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Mix the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until they are well combined. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add 1 sick of unsalted butter. Microwave in increments of 5-10 seconds at a time until the butter is completely melted. Slowly mix the butter into the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Once all the butter is thoroughly mixed into the crumbs and sugar, place this mixture onto the foil-lined sheet pan. Spread into an even layer and press down so that the mixture forms a flat sheet at the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool down while you work on the cheesecake component. Make sure to turn the oven temperature down to 325°F.
• Prepare the Cheesecake:
  Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir to move the chocolate around the bowl. Continue to heat the chocolate in 10-15 second increments until the chocolate is completely melted, making sure to stir the chocolate between each heating. Set the chocolate aside to cool slightly while working on the rest of the cheesecake batter.
• Add granulated sugar and cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, mix on a low speed until the ingredients are combined, and then mix on medium-high speed until they are light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Next, add the sour cream and mix until well combined. Then, add the unsweetened dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on a low speed until the mixture is well combined. Next, add the room temperature eggs one at a time and mixing until each is just combined. Finally, add the melted chocolate and mix until it is just combined.
• Pour the cheesecake batter onto the graham cracker crust and gently smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cheesecake bars for approximately 40-50 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set in the center of the pan. Once the cheesecake is done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Make the Ganache:
  Add 1 cup white chocolate and ¼ cup heavy whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and leave the bowl in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Once you remove the bowl from the microwave, mix the chocolate and the cream together. If there still appears to be pieces of white chocolate that have not been melted, place back in the microwave and heat for an additional 15-20 seconds at a time (stirring in between each heating) until all the white chocolate is completely melted. Set the white chocolate ganache aside to slightly cool, approximately 5 minutes. Pour the ganache onto the cooled cheesecake and spread into a thin layer.
• Finishing the Cheesecake Bars:
  To make the design on top of the cheesecake bars, I used raspberry jam in which I removed the seeds. I added the jam to a piping bag and piped parallel lines on top of the ganache. Next, use a cake tester stick or a toothpick to drag along the top of the ganache and jam. Draw lines perpendicular to the piped lines of jam. Finally use the cake tester or toothpick to draw perpendicular lines in the jam, but in the opposite direction.

Thank you so much for checking out this post! I hope that you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as all my taste-testers and I did! Please leave a comment below regarding any questions or comments you have about this recipe! Please stay safe!