Chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven and these cheesecake bar cookies are sure to delight all.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Crust:
- 2-1/2 cups peanut butter sandwich cookie crumbs - see Tip below (625 mL)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (125 mL)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (125 mL)
- .
- Filling:
- 4 packages (each 8 ounces/250 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 mL)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter - see Tip below (250 mL)
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (250 g)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (45 mL)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (500 mL)
- .
- Topping:
- 1 cup sour cream (250 mL)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (125 mL)
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (75 mL)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 mL)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (125 mL)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F./160 degrees C. Line a 13-by 9-inch baking pan with foil.
Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, flour, and butter. Press into bottom of prepared baking pan and freeze.
Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in peanut butter and melted chocolate. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chunks. Pour over frozen crust. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on the counter for 10 minutes (do not turn the oven off). The cake will sink slightly.
Topping:
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, peanut butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour into center of cooled cake and spread out to edges. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Bake for 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before cutting into bars.
Tip: Use a commercial creamy peanut butter. The natural peanut butters have too much oil for this recipe. Use a food processor to chop cookies into crumbs to the consistency of rough sand.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Recipe Source: 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes by George Geary (Robert Rose)
Reprinted with permission.
Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs, flour, and butter. Press into bottom of prepared baking pan and freeze.
Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in peanut butter and melted chocolate. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chunks. Pour over frozen crust. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top is light brown and the center has a slight jiggle to it. Cool on the counter for 10 minutes (do not turn the oven off). The cake will sink slightly.
Topping:
In a small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, peanut butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour into center of cooled cake and spread out to edges. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks. Bake for 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before cutting into bars.
Tip: Use a commercial creamy peanut butter. The natural peanut butters have too much oil for this recipe. Use a food processor to chop cookies into crumbs to the consistency of rough sand.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Recipe Source: 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes by George Geary (Robert Rose)
Reprinted with permission.
