Chocolate Peanut Cheesecake Bars Food

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
• In a food processor or blender, pulse the Oreos (cookie AND cream filling) into a fine crumb. You should have about 3 cups (330g) of crumbs. Stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a large bowl. Press tightly into the bottom of the lined baking pan. Pre-bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Leave oven on.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and beat until fully combined. Then add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the 3rd egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. A few small lumps can remain. Whisk the filling a few times by hand to rid any large lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
• Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust. It's ok if the crust is still warm. Spread evenly on top with a rubber spatula or back of a spoon. (It will seem like a thick layer of cheesecake filling; that's ok.)
• Bake for 35-38 minutes or until the cheesecake appears set on top and the edges are browned. The edges may slightly crack. (Mine do!) The bars will be puffy, but will sink slightly down as they cool. Place pan on a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours (and up to 1 day) before topping with chocolate. If you're in a rush, place in the freezer for 2 hours (or until chilled throughout.) If you plan to chill the bars for longer than a few hours, loosely cover with aluminum foil after 3-4 hours of chilling.
• Cut the butter into Tablespoon-size pieces. Place into a heat-proof bowl. Pour chocolate chips on top. Place in the microwave and melt in 30-second increments until smooth, stopping and stirring after each. You can also melt together on the stove, stirring constantly until smooth. Let the mixture cool for 2-3 minutes, then pour and spread evenly over chilled cheesecake bars. The cheesecake bars usually have a lip around the border since the center slightly sinks down, so it's easy to spread the chocolate topping, stopping around the border/lip. If yours don't have a raised lip around the edges, don't worry and just spread the filling evenly all over the top.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes or in the freezer for 30 minutes until the chocolate topping has set. If chilling for longer than 1 hour, loosely cover with aluminum foil after 1 hour of chilling. Chocolate topping must be completely set and solid on top of the cheesecake bars before slicing.
• To slice, lift the bars out of the pan as a whole using the parchment overhang on the sides. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. For extra neat squares, wipe the knife clean between each cut.
• Cover and store leftover cheesecake bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl combine the cookie mix and butter; stir in peanuts. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until edges are lightly browned, 10-12 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; 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 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 40 minutes. Spread over top. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the to 350°F and prep a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray (bottom only).
• Prepare 6 1-inch balls of dough and flatten on a cookie sheet.
• Press the rest of the cookie dough in the 9x13 pan. Bake the cookies and the crust for 10 minutes or until the cookies are just done. Cool both. Set the cookies aside.
• In small bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter uncovered in the microwave on medium-high heat, stirring every 15 seconds until the chocolate is melted and combined with the butter. Spread on the crust. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• Beat cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and cream until blended. Then, beat on high speed about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Spread over the chocolate layer.
• Crumble the reserved cookies coarsely. Sprinkle over the cream cheese layer and sort-of lightly press them into the cheese. Refrigerate another 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cook's Note: All the ingredients should be at room temperature before you start.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Process the crackers, peanuts, bittersweet chocolate chips, and butter in a food processor. Once it comes together in a clump, turn it into a springform pan and press into the bottom and up the sides to make the crunchy crust. Put it in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
• Add all the filling ingredients to a food processor and pulse until it becomes a smooth mixture.
• Pour and scrape the filling into the crust and bake for 1 hour, checking after 45 minutes. The top, only, should feel set and dry.
• Take the cheesecakes out of the oven and set aside while you make the topping. Warm the sour cream and milk chocolate with the brown sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat. Gently whisk to blend in the chocolate as it melts, then take the pan off the heat.
• Spoon and spread the topping very gently over the top of the cheesecake, being as careful as you so as not to break the surface. (Not that anything bad will happen; you'll just have chocolate marbling the cake a bit.) Put it back in the oven for a final 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and cool. Slice and serve.
• Make Ahead:
• Make the cheesecake up to 2 days ahead. Cool and chill as directed. Do not cover until completely cold, then cover with a plate or plastic wrap, making sure that the covering does not touch the surface. Unmold and serve as directed in the recipe. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days total.
• Freeze Note:
• The cheesecake can be frozen for 1 month. Make sure it is thoroughly chilled then wrap, still in its pan, in a double layer of plastic wrap and layer of aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and eat within 2 days. A small amount of condensation may appear on surface of the cheesecake after thawing, but it is still fine to eat.