Dessert recipe: choco-cherry cheesecake bars

1. RECIPE: Choco-Cherry Cheesecake Bars, 2. Decorative Tea Towel - Funky Red Retro Roses- lace edge., 3. calendar-4, 4. Bon appétit!

My regular readers know I like to post lots of photos.  Today I'm trying something new.  At least new-to-me, because we've all seen the wonderful mosaics bloggers have been creating for years. Do you like the mosaic I created?  The super simple, free online program I used is from Big Huge Labs.

The theme for this mosaic is red of course, and also tea towels and baking.  The easy dessert recipe is from Pillsbury, but you can use your favorite sugar cookie dough should you prefer to make it from scratch.  You can find organic food coloring and organic maraschino cherries at healthier grocery stores if you want to avoid chemicals and corn syrup.

This dessert post is shared with:
Ruby Tuesday, Rednesday, Wordless Wednesday.

Bon appetit,


Choco-Cherry Cheesecake Bars Recipe 
Simple chocolate-topped bars have a creamy filling and tender cookie crust.

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 egg, separated
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 drops red food color
1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, finely chopped, drained on paper towels
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup whipping cream

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat 1 egg white until frothy. Brush egg white over crust. Bake 3 minutes longer or until egg white is set.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg yolk, 2 eggs, the condensed milk, almond extract and food color; beat until well blended. Stir in chopped cherries.

4. Pour cherry mixture evenly over crust. Bake 16 to 20 minutes longer or until set. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, heat chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool 20 minutes.

6. Stir whipping cream into chocolate mixture until well blended. Spread over cooled bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store in refrigerator.

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