Friday, April 2, 2010

Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars & Giveaway Winner!

I made these Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars a lonnnng time ago. After I took photos of them, I made a new post, pasted the photos on it, saved it, and then just decided not to publish it. I guess I was hesitant to blog about them because they tasted just okay, and I wasn't crazy about the photos. I think the "bland" chocolate treats I've made have not excited me because of the use of milk chocolate. [Side note: I should start using more semi-sweet chocolate from now on (I'm not a fan of bittersweet). I will just eat the milk chocolate bars as a treat on their own haha....or just combine it with bittersweet to make my own semi-sweet ;).]
However, I changed my mind and decided to post it because I don't have any other photos to post right now; I wanted to post the giveaway winner; and I wanted to give you all an update on the paper I had to turn in that determined whether I could move forward with my PhD or not.
I have posted the winner of the giveaway below so that the winner and these bars will be the last things on your mind hah! I will tell you about the paper now.

I did not fail. However, I do have to make some revisions on my statistics and research design. So, once I make the necessary revisions, I will be able to turn in my dissertation proposal at the same time since they will be the same topic. So, I'm very happy with the result. I really don't mind making revisions since I would have had to do it with the dissertation proposal anyway. I will be basically killing two birds with one stone. (Such a violent saying, isn't it? Where's PETA?). Anyway, I was crying happy tears like crazy as I hugged my professors. I'm very thankful and pleased with the ultimate decision. It is nice to know that my 9-year-old dream of earning a PhD still has a chance to be realized. I was also pleased to find out how much the faculty appreciates me. I really didn't know they thought of me so positively.
Back to the bars! The original recipe does not have chocolate in it. Also, nuts are supposed to be in the crust, but I subbed in chocolate chips b/c of my dislike of nuts. I can see many variations that could be done with this recipe, so go wild!! The filling was very creamy, and these bars were pretty easy and quick to make. I'm certain these would taste better with a more intense chocolate like semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate.

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

9

Timestamp: 2010-04-02 05:46:44 UTC

The Random Integer Generator was used to determine the winners so congratulations to:

#9 Corrina

"Happy Blogiversary!
Congratulations on sticking to it. I just found your site through tastespotting, as I was looking for inspiration for this Sunday's brunch. These danishes look wonderful! I look forward to exploring your blog further.

1. I would enjoy any of those cookbooks, but the Portuguese one jumped out at me first.
I already own Lidia's Italy, and use it often. Her fennel & orange salad was a hit at Christmas dinner.

2. I love making soups, but have never gotten around to making pho, which is one of my favorites to order when I go out. Hopefully, it will be on both our blogs one day! :)

3. I am fluent in English and Spanish. I also have basic knowledge of German and French, but wish these were stronger."

The winner has been contacted, and I will send her the new cookbook, The Food of Portugal, in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who entered!


Chocolate Crumb Cheesecake Bars
adapted by Land O' Lakes Pecan Cheesecake Bars

CRUMB MIXTURE:

1 cup AP Flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbsp) butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans or chocolate chops

FILLING:

1 (8-ounce) pkg cream cheese, softened
3-4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted (microwave or bain marie)
1 tsp espresso or coffee granules
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, brown sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at low speed until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans or chocolate chips. Reserve 3/4 cup crumb mixture; set aside.

Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and melted chocolate in mixer bowl for 4 minutes. Next, add in the rest of the filling ingredients. Beat at low speed until well mixed. Spread filling over hot, partially baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; press lightly into filling.

Continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely or refrigerate (latter option for photo purposes) before cutting into bars. Store refrigerated.

24 comments:

  1. I've never heard of these before but they look and sound delicious to me. I think I'd like the original version too!

    Congrats to the winner and to you on a great job on your paper!

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  2. A fabulous treat! Wish i can have a piece!

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  3. I don't think I've ever seen cheesecake in bar form. When I saw the texture of the chocolate cheese layer on F.G., I had to look at this-nice!

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  4. Eu acho que vc escribe bem. Deixa de falar que nao.

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  5. Congrats to the winner, and these do look delicious, I love anything with chocolate

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  6. Congrats on your journey toward a PhD. You sound very relieved, happy, excited. Too bad I missed your giveaway! I'll keep a better watch! Congrats to the winner!

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  7. Hey Memoria,

    Just wanted to let you know I sent you an email about getting together on Monday.

    Monica

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  8. Glad you are getting steps closer to the phd. Congrats to the winner and if you feel like whipping up these bars really fast and flying to LA, you are more than welcome to come to our Easter brunch tomorrow :)

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  9. Wunderbar, Memoria! Chocolate and cheesecake in a bar--Sweet! I mean, who would have thunk it :o) I am so proud of the dedicated and progressive steps you have already taken and continue to take towards achieving your childhood dream! I am patiently awaiting the day when someone will call our house and ask for Dr. J, and we will have to respond by asking, "Which one?"

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  10. Hi! I love your blog and your photography. The pictures are crisp and clear and colorful and wonderful. That might be some darn good camera you are using. Great job, as usual... :)

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  11. How great that you got the nod for your PHD plan... those committees are tough with so many little egos ( I think they ask for changes just to make themselves feel more powerful) good for you that you wowed them. Reading your excellent blog I am not surprised. Love your words and photos.

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  12. Memoria, these look delicious. I love anything with cheesecake. Congrats on your PhD proposal. Hope everything works out the way you would like it to. To answer your question, the puff paste recipe I used in the dessert was from Baking with Julia.

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  13. They look like chocolate ice-cream sandwich! Yummy!

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  14. Congratulations on your dissertation! I can't believe this was your dream since you were 9! I think at 9 the farthest thing from my mind was a PhD!

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  15. Congrats to you! Loving this sweet treat!

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  16. Meghan StricklandApr 5, 2010, 5:20:00 PM

    Tu blog es excelente, Profesora James. Los postres ve muy deliciosos. :)

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  17. Thanks for the comment you just left on my blog! I had to laugh when I saw your picture because I was poking around Tasty Kitchen this afternoon and spied these chocolate cheesecake bars and put them in my recipe box. :)

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  18. You have no idea how bad I want one of those bars. Like. Seriously. I'm salivating.

    You rock!

    Blessings-
    Amanda

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  19. First, congrats on moving forward on your PhD. That's absolutely awesome. Now onto these bars. You only thought they were "okay??" They look delicious!

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  20. Wow!! Isso parece muito gostoso!! Gostei demais do seu cantinho! Adicionei seu link à minha lista de blog preferidos.

    Um abraço direto do Brasil pra você.

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  22. that's it! I'm going to the kitchen to whip something up and it has to be dripping with chocolate!

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