Think making cheesecake is complicated? Not so with these easy cheesecake bars. Perfect for dessert anytime!
You know what always scares me off from making a cheesecake? The amount of cream cheese it requires. That and the idea of needing a pan of water to prevent cracking. Seems like you are begging for a disaster. Or I would be, at least.
But cheesecake bars? Not so frightening. They take a fraction of the work and ingredients. And cracking? No problem! Since these bars are covered in caramel, nuts and chocolate, no one will notice if they do crack (and they probably won’t!). Talk about an easier take on things.
These cheesecake bars are inspired by turtle candies, a mix of pecans and caramel topped with chocolate. I first had them at a chocolatier in northwest Connecticut, where I covered weekend events for a local newspaper. My colleague and I went in for a treat, and those globs of gooey caramel and nuts with a dot of chocolate just called to me.
I translated that into a sweetly topped cheesecake bar featuring a chocolate crust, courtesy of Cocoa Puffs® Brownie Crunch Cereal. Mixed with butter, it makes a wonderful not-too-sweet base.
Then there is a layer of lightly sweetened cheesecake. Finally, it’s topped with caramel, glazed pecans and dark chocolate chips.
Sure, it’s not as gooey as a real turtle candy—and probably won’t get stuck in your teeth either (a definite good thing). Instead, it’s a turtle’s chic older cousin…a little more refined but still bearing a strong resemblance and irresistible flavor.
