Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache: The Ultimate Indulgence Hey chocolate lovers! 🍫 If you’re a fan of decadent desserts that deliver in both flavor and wow factor, then let me introduce you to your new favorite treat — Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache. These bars are everything you could possibly want in a dessert: creamy, rich, and indulgently chocolatey with just the right balance of sweetness and tang from the cheesecake layer.
What Is a Cheesecake Bar?
A Cheesecake Bar is a portable version of a classic cheesecake dessert. Instead of dealing with slicing the cake and trying to make sure everyone gets the same amount of cheesecake, you can prepare these Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache. They are great to grab while on the go when you want something sweet that will keep you feeling full. These cheesecake bars taste great and are easy to prepare.
Let’s break it down: the crust is a simple yet flavorful base made from crushed graham crackers, offering the perfect crunch and contrast to the velvety smooth cheesecake filling. And the filling? Oh, it’s a dream come true. It’s made with cream cheese, rich chocolate, and a touch of sweetness, creating that perfect creamy texture that melts in your mouth. But wait, we’re not done yet. To take it over the top, these bars are topped with a luscious layer of silky chocolate ganache that’s both glossy and irresistible. The ganache adds the perfect finishing touch, giving these bars an extra dose of chocolate decadence.
What Is Chocolate Ganache?
Chocolate ganache is known as a chocolate glaze that often gets drizzled over pastries and cakes. It consists of semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream. These two ingredients work perfectly together to create a light and flavorful ganache that goes great with cheesecake.
I recently made these for a special occasion, and let me tell you, they were a total showstopper. The combination of the rich chocolate cheesecake with that glossy ganache is a match made in dessert heaven. Every bite is a perfect balance of creamy, chocolaty goodness that’s bound to satisfy even the most serious sweet tooth.
Chocolate Cheesecake Bar FAQ’s
Do You Have to Use Oreo Cookies to Make the Crust?
You may have noticed this recipe calls for the use of traditional chocolate Oreo cookies to make the crust for your Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache. Although these cookies are great to use, you do have other options. You can use the generic version of Oreo cookies or other types of cookies, such as Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies. The idea behind the crust is to use a chocolate cookie that tastes great with the cheesecake. You will mix the crushed cookies into melted butter to prepare your homemade crust.
Which Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Are Best to Use to Make the Ganache?
While you can buy any brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips to use to prepare the chocolate ganache, there are a few brands that taste amazing. The best brands to use include Ghirardelli and Baker’s Chocolate because these are high-quality chocolates. However, you can find other good brands that produce high-quality semi-sweet chocolate morsels to use for melting and mixing in with your heavy cream.
How Many Servings Will the Recipe Make?
When following this recipe for the Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache, you will have two dozen bars available for you and your loved ones. You can store any bars that you do not eat to keep them fresh until you are ready to have them.
Can I Add Extra Ingredients to the Cheesecake Bars?
You can add extra ingredients to the Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache if you would like. It is possible to customize the taste of your bars a bit by adding fresh fruit to your cheesecake filling. Some of the best fruits to use include blueberries and strawberries. Besides using fresh fruits, you might also want to add nuts or mini chocolate chips into the cheesecake filling for an extra crunch.
How to Store the Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Wrap your bars in plastic wrap and place them in a large food container or food storage bag. You can keep these bars in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to six months. If you decide to put your Chocolate Cheesecake Bars in the freezer to save them a bit longer, be sure to put them in the fridge when you want to thaw them. It is better to let them thaw in the fridge overnight than to leave them out on a table.
What to Use as a Garnish
Garnish the Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache with additional toppings for more flavor. Whipped cream is a great choice. You can add a dollop of your favorite whipped cream to each of the bars. Besides whipped cream, consider using mini chocolate morsels or chocolate shavings to garnish the top of each bar.
What to Do If You Do Not Have Heavy Cream
The recipe calls for heavy whipping cream for both the cheesecake filling and the homemade ganache. If you want to follow this recipe, but you do not have heavy cream, you might think that you cannot make it. However, you can use other ingredients as a substitute for heavy cream. Combine milk with butter to prepare your homemade heavy cream. You can also mix milk with a bit of cornstarch to create a heavy cream-like consistency to use in your recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache.
What I love most about these Chocolate Cheesecake Bars is how easy they are to make, especially considering how fancy they look. No complicated techniques here — just a few simple steps, and you’ll have a dessert that looks like it came straight out of a bakery. Plus, they can be made ahead of time, which makes them perfect for parties, gatherings, or just when you’re craving something sweet without all the hassle. If you’re looking for a dessert that’s sure to impress, these Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache are the way to go. Whether you’re serving them for a special occasion or just treating yourself, these bars are guaranteed to be a hit.
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Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
Crust:
- 36 Oreo Cookies one regular package- crushed
- 8 Tablespoons butter-melted
Cheesecake:
- 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips good quality
- 3 8 oz packages cream cheese- softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar- packed
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips Use a good quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli or baker’s chocolate
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×13 baking dish with heavy duty aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse Oreo cookies until you get fine crumbs. Add in butter and pulse until combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan using the back of a spoon. Make sure to bring the crumbs about 1/2 -1 inch up the sides.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
Cheesecake Filling:
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, pour the chocolate and heat at 30 second intervals stirring in between until completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer) cream the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and there are no lumps remaining. Mix in both sugars and cocoa powder and mix until just combined.
- Add in eggs and the heavy cream and mix until just combined.
- Last, fold in the cooled chocolate and vanilla extract.
- Pour the batter over the prepared crust and smooth evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake slightly jiggles. (Think Jell-o, not watery)
- Remove the cake from the oven and carefully loosen the foil and immediately run the tip of a hot butter knife (I run mine under hot water for about 1 minute) around the sides to prevent cracking. Cool completely in the pan then transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to set at least 6 hours to overnight.
Chocolate Ganache
- Prepare the ganache by pouring the heavy cream into a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat for about 1 minute or until boiling.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 3-5 minutes until the chocolate is nice and melted.
- Whisk well until smooth and pour evenly over the bars and smooth. Place back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings
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