Go Big Red Recipe For April 15

[Roxy]

Cinnamon-Pecan Cheesecake Bars:

 

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Cheesecake Bars

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Topping:

 

2 T. butter

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

 

Bar Base:

 

1/2 cup butter (1stick) room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1-1/4 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

 

Cheesecake filling:

 

2 (8oz) pkgs Neufachatel cheese, room temperature (I used cream cheese)

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 350°

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Topping: Mix together the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly. This is easiest if you use your hands. Add teh vanilla and pecans and mix again. Set aside.

 

Bar Base: Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then gently blend in flour mixed with salt. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9X13 glass pan (I use aluminum pan, no problem) and gently pat the dough into the pan-it will be a pretty thin layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes. While the base is baking, prepare the filling.

 

Cheesecake Filling: Beat Neufchatel cheese with sugar until creamy and well blended. Add eggs, and beat until smooth. Remove the pan from the oven after 15 minutes. Pour the cheesecake filling over the bar base, then sprinkle with Cinnamon-Pecan mixture. Return to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes-once the filling starts getting golden and a bit puffy, it is pretty much done. Turn the oven off and prop the door open a few inches while the cake cools for the first 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until chilled-at least 2 hrs. Rapid temperature changes can cause any cheesecake filing to crack or sink.

Once the cheesecake has cooled, slice into individual bars. Run you knife around the edge of the pan first to make cutting easier. As long as the bars are well chilled before cutting, they come out of the pan pretty easily.

 

Yield: 32 bars

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooling time: 40 minutes total

[sarge87]

Cinnamon-Pecan Cheesecake Bars:

 

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Cheesecake Bars

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Topping:

 

2 T. butter

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

 

Bar Base:

 

1/2 cup butter (1stick) room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1-1/4 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

 

Cheesecake filling:

 

2 (8oz) pkgs Neufachatel cheese, room temperature (I used cream cheese)

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 350°

 

Cinnamon-Pecan Topping: Mix together the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until crumbly. This is easiest if you use your hands. Add teh vanilla and pecans and mix again. Set aside.

 

Bar Base: Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then gently blend in flour mixed with salt. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9X13 glass pan (I use aluminum pan, no problem) and gently pat the dough into the pan-it will be a pretty thin layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake 15 minutes. While the base is baking, prepare the filling.

 

Cheesecake Filling: Beat Neufchatel cheese with sugar until creamy and well blended. Add eggs, and beat until smooth. Remove the pan from the oven after 15 minutes. Pour the cheesecake filling over the bar base, then sprinkle with Cinnamon-Pecan mixture. Return to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Check after 20 minutes-once the filling starts getting golden and a bit puffy, it is pretty much done. Turn the oven off and prop the door open a few inches while the cake cools for the first 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and refrigerate until chilled-at least 2 hrs. Rapid temperature changes can cause any cheesecake filing to crack or sink.

Once the cheesecake has cooled, slice into individual bars. Run you knife around the edge of the pan first to make cutting easier. As long as the bars are well chilled before cutting, they come out of the pan pretty easily.

 

Yield: 32 bars

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooling time: 40 minutes total

Looks really good. The easiest way to keep your cheese cake from cracking is to put another pan in the oven that is filled with water. The extra moisture will keep your cake whole.

 

Next time you make a cheesecake try this sauce as a drizzle or a scraper.

 

2 Tbl. Light Brown Sugar

2 Tbl. Corn Starch

1 C. Dark Corn Syrup

1/2 C. Chopped Pecans

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Tbl Bourbon Whisky (optional)

 

Mix brown sugar and corn starch in a small heavy sauce pan. Stir in corn syrup and heat over medium heat until all ingredients are liquefied and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in pecans, vanilla, and bourbon. Serve warm with a small ladle.

[Roxy]

Thx so much for the drizzle recipe and the hint..much appreciated:)