Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars (from bon appetit magazine)

Ingredients:

Crust

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 1/4 cups finely ground graham crackers (from about 17 whole graham crackers)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze

2/3 cup purchased dulce de leche

3 tablespoons (or more) heavy whipping cream

Fleur de sel

Preparation

Instructions:

Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Filling

Blend cream cheese and sugar in processor until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing 3 to 5 seconds to blend between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla; process until blended, about 10 seconds. Spread batter evenly over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

Glaze

Heat dulce de leche and 3 tablespoons cream in microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour (amount of cream needed will depend on brand of dulce de leche). Pour glaze over cooled cheesecake; spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (glaze will not be firm). DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.

Cut cheesecake lengthwise into 4 strips, then crosswise into 6 strips, forming 24 bars. Sprinkle bars with fleur de sel.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars on the bottom, stacked with Peanut Buddies, Lemon bars, similar to Triple Sec Lime Bars, and Raspberry Bars (from Cooks Illustrated September 2005).