Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Bars Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream; blend well.
• Spoon 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Carefully spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for topping). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.
• Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread glaze over cooled cheesecake, allowing some to flow down side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Press half the dough onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Set aside remaining dough for topping., For filling, in a large saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, cream cheese and milk; cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in walnuts and extract. Spread over dough., Break off small pieces of remaining dough; drop over filling. Bake at 375° until topping is golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.