It doesn’t get much more Fall than a seasonal decadent dessert using pumpkin and chocolate!
Pumpkin and chocolate cheesecake bars
Prep 30 min | Total Makes 20 bars
Ingredients:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp each nutmeg and salt
- 250 g pkg regular cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp 35% cream
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-in. square baking pan with parchment paper, letting paper overhang the pan’s edges.
In a medium bowl, stir crumbs with candied ginger and butter until evenly moist. Press over bottom of an prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven until edges are golden, about 10 min.
Whisk egg in the same bowl (no need to wash). Whisk in pumpkin purée, sugar and seasonings. Cut cheese into cubes. Using an electric mixer, beat cheese into pumpkin mixture, scraping down sides of bowl if needed, until well mixed.
Pour over warm crust. Bake in centre of oven until filling is set when pan is jiggled, about 25 min. Cool completely on a rack.
Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-high until hot, 2 min, or microwave uncovered on high for 1 min. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over cooled filling. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 1 hour.
Use parchment paper to lift square out of pan, then slice into 20 bars. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month.
Per serving 157 calories. 2 g protein, 16 g carbs, 10 g fat, 1 g fibre, 106 mg sodium
Courtesy Claire Tansey
www.chatelaine.com
@chatelaine
Photo credit Ryan Szulc