No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Bars With A Twist!
Cheesecake, chocolate, and…hot cocoa? Ok, if we must…and believe me, folks, we MUST! I love cheesecake, and I love chocolate, and I love hot cocoa…not necessarily in that order, but yeah, they are all on my list of things I enjoy. So you know that I found a way to merge all three into an awesome piece of indulgent dessert…right? Well, No-bake chocolate cheesecake bars with a twist has it all!
Let’s start with the hot cocoa part because starting with a twist just seems like the thing to do in this situation! Tootsie Roll Hot Cocoa; yes, you read that right Tootsie Roll. Those little chewy pieces of chocolatey goodness, are now chocolatey hot cocoa, and they are the twist to these no-bake chocolate cheesecake bars.
FYI, you can get them in a 40 count box on Amazon
Ingredients:
4 ounces (1/2 of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice + a dash more*
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 Tootsie Roll Hot Cocoa K-cups
Equipment:
Self-cutting brownie pan
Directions:
1. In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and refrigerate.
2. Combine the chocolate chips, Tootsie Roll Hot Cocoa K-cups, and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate with the oil in a double boiler.)
3. Line the an with the parchment paper. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate into each cup, tap the pan on the counter so the chocolate flattens out then refrigerate the pan for 15 minutes until the chocolate is firm.
4. Remove the pan and the cheesecake mixture from the fridge. Pipe a portion of the cheesecake mixture in the center of each cup, then top the cheesecake with another 1 to 2 teaspoons of melted chocolate.
5. Place the pan in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate has fully hardened. If not serving immediately, store the cups in an airtight container in the fridge.
*Add a dash more lemon juice when making the cheesecake mixture. The chocolate is very rich, and the balance between the extra sweet, and the slight tartness of the cheesecake batter will be welcomed!
So, there you have it, No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Bars with a Twist! The Tootsie Roll Hot Cocoa adds a bit of sparkle to the chocolate and makes this a very rich and indulgent dessert. I hope you enjoy them!!
