Holiday Tasting Party Recipes

RECIPE NAME:  CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS

INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
5 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

HOW TO MAKE THIS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes.  Remove pan to a cooling rack.  Leave your oven on while you prepare the dough.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.  Mix in the flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated.  Mix in the chocolate chips.  Set aside.  (*Note:  This mixture is going to be dry...that's okay.  It's rather like a crumble topping.  You're going to crumble it on top of the cheesecake layer.)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated.  Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust.  Use your hands to form "clumps" of the cookie dough, smoosh it together and flatten it out.  Distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps.  Be sure to use all of the dough.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake.  Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least a couple hours.

Lift the bars out by the overhang and cut into squares for serving.

MY NAME:  Lyndi Jones