Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Category: Bars

Serves/Makes: 25
Difficulty: 2
Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

CRUST
1 1/2 packages honey graham crackers
1/3 cup sugar
6 T melted butter
1/4 t salt

FILLING
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 extra large eggs
2 t vanilla

TOPPING
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Put graham crackers in a food processor and process until completely ground. Add sugar, butter and salt to combine. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with 2 pieces of foil. One going each way leaving a 3 inch overhang on all sides. Press crust into bottom of pan going slightly up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment add peanut butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. Whip until very well mixed and has the consistency of heavy whipped cream. Add eggs and vanilla and whip an additional minute. Spread evenly over crust and return to oven for 25 minutes, turning pan half way through.

Top will crack slightly and toothpick should come out clean. Cool in pan for at least 30 minutes. In a glass bowl over a pan with an inch of simmering water melt chocolate chips. When melted stir in heavy cream. Spread chocolate evenly over cooled bars and put in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

To serve, remove entire block of bars out with the foil "handles". Cut into squares and serve.

Cooks Notes - I haven't had a craving for peanut butter for decades. All of sudden the other night I was craving it, so I thought I would use it in a more grown up way. These satisfy the peanut butter craving while being decadent enough for any entertaining.

Refrigerating hardens the chocolate topping and really sets the crust.