Cheesecake Bars with Strawberries and Chocolate Ganache

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These delicious cheesecake bars are very easy to make!

Don’t get all worried about not having a spring-form pan, or knowing who “ganache” is. These fabulous Cheesecake Bars with Strawberries and Chocolate Ganache are going to have you singing happy songs, folks!

The Cheesecake Bars should be made a day in advance and left to chill out in the fridge. You can easily make the ganache ahead of time as well, and then just reheat it a

bit when you are ready to serve.

Slice up your berries and…..

Beauty for your eyes!

Beauty on your pallate!

You can serve them on a plate after a fabulous dinner, or you can put them in cupcake holders for serving on a dessert bar.

Lots of possibilities here!

Cheesecake Bars with Strawberries and Chocolate Ganache

Time: Cheesecake bars: 1 hour + overnight to refrigerate

Ganache: 10 minutes

Yield: 12 large pieces, or 36 small pieces

Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods

CRUST

2 C graham cracker crumbs

1/4 C sugar

6 T butter, melted

1/8 t cinnamon

dash salt

CHEESECAKE FILLING

4 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 C sugar

2 t vanilla

1 C sour cream

4 eggs

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

12 oz bag semi sweet chocolate chips

12 oz whipping cream

dash salt

1/4 t vanilla

1 pound strawberries, sliced thin

mint leaves (optional)

CRUST

1. Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine all crust ingredients together. Press into the bottom of your pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in a medium sized mixing bowl with electric beaters, or in your handy dandy Kitchen Aid until well combined.

2. Add the sour cream and mix well.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each one is added. Only mix the eggs in until they are combined. Don’t over do it here.

4. Pour the filling over the top of the crust.

5. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. I always place a pan (another 9×13) of water on the rack below the cheesecake. This will help the bars not crack down the middle. They may still crack just slightly at the sides…don’t sweat it. All will be well. You can pour the ganache right over the top. Take the the cheesecake out when the center is almost set.

6. Let it cool completely on your counter, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Our Best Bites has a great tutorial on ganache I would recommend you read, if you are nervous about making Mr. Ganache.

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the chocolate chips and the whipping cream. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval. You might get a bit worried here while you are stirring. It’s going to look kind of strange….be patient. Wait for the beauty! Just keep stirring and heating it. Add the vanilla and dash of salt once the chocolate and cream have joined. It will be thin, and then magically once the chocolate and cream are blended it will begin to thicken. The longer it sits the thicker it will become. If you want to make it a day ahead you can store it in the fridge and then just heat it up a bit when you are ready to serve.

To serve just use the tin foil to lift the Cheesecake up and out of the pan. Lay them on your counter and cut them into pieces. Use a sharp knife. The cheesecake will get pretty goopie on the knife. Just keep a warm wet cloth handy and wipe the knife off when you need to.