Day 24 Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Oh no! I missed a day! Well, actually I made these and another pumpkin recipe yesterday but didn't have time to post it. These are wonderful. I think I might make them to bring to Thanksgiving. Definately one of the best recipes I have made. Thanks Michelle for the recipe :)



Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 40-50 min
Serves: 16

Ingredients

For the crust:
- 1 packet of chocolate graham crackers
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the bars:
- 2 packages cream cheese, (8 ounces each)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
3. Place graham crackers in a large ziplock bag. Crush them with bakers roller. Add sugar, stir and shake to mix. And melted butter, stir and shake to mix. (For a picture of this process see my pumpkin cheesecake recipe.)


4. Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and press gently into bottom of pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly firm. Set aside to cool.
5. Place cream cheese into bowl and blend until smooth.
6. Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, pumpkin-pie spice, and salt - mix until combined. Set aside.
7. Place chocolate in small batter bowl; microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted.

8. Add 1/2 cup pumpkin mixture; stir to combine. Set aside.
9. Pour remaining pumpkin mixture into prepared pan.

10. Drop dollops of chocolate mixture onto pumpkin mixture; swirl using butter knife.

11. Bake until cheesecake is set - jiggles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes.
12. Cool in pan. Cover; chill at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days).
13. Using overhang, transfer cake to work surface. With a Pampered Chef Pizza Cutter, cut into 16 squares. Serve.













Recipe adapted from http://michellesfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/chocolate-pumpkin-cheesecake-bars.html (Thanks Michelle, they are SUPER DOOPER yummy!!)