Chocolate Cream Cheese Almond Bars Food

AWARD WINNING ALMOND DESSERT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
• Make the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the butter and powdered sugar; using electric (or stand) mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4min. Gently add flour and mix on low speed just until combined. Mixture will be crumbly, so use hands to form a dough ball. Press evenly into prepared glass pan to form bottom crust (I use bottom of a flat glass cup to press down evenly.) Bake 18 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
• While the crust is baking, make Filling: In a large bowl, combine eggs, very-soft cream cheese, and sugar. Whisk together until creamy and no lumps remain (it really helps if your cream cheese is quite soft to start with.) Add almond extract and mix to combine. Evenly pour the filling over crust, using rubber spatula to scrape all filling. Bake 15-20 min or until set. Let dessert cool completely on wire rack.
• Frost the Bars: In a bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Whisk until smooth and no more lumps. Evenly frost over cooled dessert bars (be sure bars have cooled completely before frosting.) Cover, chill, and serve with almond slices on top.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, butter and confectioners' sugar; press onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Bake until center is almost set, 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, beat all ingredients until smooth; spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator.

MINTY CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, butter, extracts and 2 eggs until blended. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup baking chips., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add remaining eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over chocolate layer, spreading evenly; sprinkle with remaining baking chips., Bake 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In saucepan, over low heat, combine chocolate, cream cheese and whipping cream. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, stir in nuts.
• In bowl, cream butter and brown sugar; beat in egg, stir in flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
• Press half on bottom of lightly buttered 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top.
• Sprinkle remaining butter mixture over chocolate.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden.
• Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Cut into 2 x 1 1/2 inch bars.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Make crust and topping:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a standing mixer or 3 minutes with a handheld. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour and salt just until a dough forms. Pat two thirds of dough evenly over bottom of a buttered 8- by 2-inch square metal baking pan. Bake crust in middle of oven until edge is golden, about 12 minutes. While crust is baking, work almonds into remaining dough with your hands until crumbs form, then reserve for topping. Cool crust in pan on a rack.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Dissolve espresso powder in vanilla in a small cup. Beat together cream cheese and sugar with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes, then add egg and espresso mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Pour filling onto cooled crust and crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake in middle of oven until edges are golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into 16 bars.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BARS

Steps:

• Cut cookie dough in half. For crust, press half of the dough onto the bottom of a greased 8-in. square baking pan. , In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Spread over crust. Crumble remaining dough over top. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Beat in butter and extract; gradually stir in the four and mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

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.