Black-and- Cheesecake Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Recipe

• 1 spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.
• 2 line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides, then spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• 3 sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
• 4 in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth.
• 5 add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• 6 reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture.
• 7 once all of the flour is incorporated, increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fully incorporated. the batter will be heavy!
• 8 preheat over to 325°f
• 9 set aside 1 cup of the cookie dough - cover and refrigerate.
• 10 press the remaining dough into the prepared baking pan.
• 11 chill for 30 minutes then bake until the base is set and the edges are puffed, about 25 minutes.
• 12 cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
• 13 meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl.
• 14 spread over the cooled base.
• 15 remove the reserved cookie dough from the fridge and let it soften slightly.
• 16 the cookie dough can be crumbled on top of the cheesecake layer or, if you prefer, you can use a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip to pipe the dough in diagonal lines (going both ways) over the top of the cheesecake layer.
• 17 bake until the filling is set, 25-30 minutes.
• 18 let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
• 19 once cool refrigerate briefly then, using the overhanging parchment, lift the bars out. trim the edges and cut into individual bars.
• 20 bars can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container.