Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

Name: Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1 cup roughly chopped pecans; 1 stick unsalted butter -melted; 8 ounces cream cheese -softened; 8 ounces mascarpone cheese (or substitute cream cheese); 1 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut in small pieces; 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut into small pieces; 4 ounces heavy cream; 2 ounces of chopped pecans (optional)

May 17, 2016 by Chef Dennis Littley 34 Comments

Chocolate Cheesecake with pecan shortbread crust

If you're looking for the perfect cheesecake for the chocolate lover in your life, look no further than my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. They're sinfully delicious and easy to make

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

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Cheesecake is just one of those desserts you can’t go wrong with. And when you start creating deliciousness like my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust, you’ve taken Cheesecake to another level.

I’ve made all types of cheesecakes from standard New York Style with just cream cheese. My personal favorites were the extra creamy Mascarpone Strawberry Cheesecake and my Ricotta Cheesecake. I get hungry just thinking about them!

Over the years I’ve made many other variations of the different styles of cheesecakes I enjoy eating. But for some reason I stayed away from adding chocolate to my recipes my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars are definitely a keeper.

I decided to take this cheesecake in a different direction, not only with the shape of my cheesecake, but with the flavors by adding two layers of chocolate. I adapted a shortbread crust recipe by Paula Deen from her Savannah bars for my masterpiece .

I created my chocolate cheesecake bars by using my standard mascarpone cheesecake recipe and folding in melted semi sweet chocolate. Then for good measure I topped it off with a rich chocolate ganache, garnishing the finished cheesecake with chopped pecans. If this oh so delicious cheesecake doesn’t make the chocolate lovers in your life ecstatic, check their pulse.

If you love cheesecake as much as I do, you might also like these delicious recipes:

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5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust

If you're looking for the perfect cheesecake for the chocolate lover in your life, look no further than my Chocolate Cheesecake Bars. They're sinfully delicious and easy to make

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bars, Cheesecake, chocolate

Servings:

Calories: 552kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Pecan Shortbread Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 stick unsalted butter -melted

Cheesecake Filling

8 ounces cream cheese -softened
8 ounces mascarpone cheese or substitute cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut in small pieces

Chocolate Ganache

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate cut into small pieces
4 ounces heavy cream

Garnish

2 ounces of chopped pecans optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Pecan Shortbread Crust

Mix together the flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and melted butter in bowl, until well blended.
Press the dough into an ungreased 9"x 9"x 2"-inch pan.
Bake shortbread crust for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Allow crust to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes or more before filling

Cheesecake Filling

Using a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt 6 ounces of semi- sweet chocolate and allow to cool (you will reuse this bowl for the ganache)
In the bowl of your stand mixer add the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese and whip until smooth and creamy 5-7 minutes.
Add the sugar and whip until blended
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition, to make sure each egg is fully incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract and cooled melted chocolate, blending until all of the chocolate is completely mixed into the cheese mixture.
Pour batter into prepared crust
Place pan into preheated oven on center rack and bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked and not loose in the center.
Allow to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes

Chocolate Ganache

Place chocolate and cream in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water and melt chocolate and mix in cream until smooth and chocolate has been completely melted.
Pour Ganache over the top of cooked cheesecake, spreading evenly with an offset spatula.
Allow cheesecake to cool for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
If you are adding pecans as a topping sprinkle the pecans on top of the ganache before chilling.
Cut cheesecake into squares and serve!

Nutrition

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About Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Pecan Shortbread Crust