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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Boozy Bourbon Pecan Pie-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

I know it's not Thanksgiving yet, or even Fall, but I'm itchin' for it to get here. I love everything about Fall. I love the weather, football, tailgatin', festivals, soup, holidays... pretty much anything you can think of. This recipe would be perfect for Thanksgiving, especially in the South :) I mean it's like chocolate pecan pie, but in bar-form... with CHEESECAKE... and BOURBON. I know I know, you can thank me later (just kidding). But these bars are definitely Mountain Man approved. I think any guy would approve of a dessert with bourbon in it. I think my Mountain Man would drink it out of his shoe, I mean he wouldn't really, but maybe. I don't know, probably if he was already liquored up some, but that's besides the point. The bars are soooo yummy. It is a layer of bourbon shortbread, chocolate cheesecake, and bourbon-pecan pie topping. It's just my little twist on a holiday classic. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did :)



Boozy Bourbon Pecan Pie-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
For the Bourbon Shortbread Crust:
1 ¾C AP Flour
Pinch of Salt
1 ½ Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Almost Room Temperature
¼C Gourmet Raw Bourbon Vanilla Sugar
¼C Confectioners’ Sugar
2t Vanilla
1T Bourbon, Heaping (I used Maker’s Mark)   

For the Chocolate Cheesecake Layer:
1 ½ Packages (or 12oz total) of Cream Cheese, Softened
¾C Sugar
1t Vanilla
2 Eggs
8oz Semisweet Chocolate, Melted & Cooled

For the Boozy Pecan Pie Filling:
3 Large Eggs
1C Light Corn Syrup
¾C Brown Sugar
¼C Sugar
2T Melted Butter
1T Bourbon
2C Pecans, Toasted & Roughly Chopped
Pinch of Salt (or to taste)

Directions:
1. To Make the Bourbon Shortbread Crust: Sift together the flour and salt, and then set aside. Put the butter and both sugars into the bowl of a standing mixer and beat them together until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla & bourbon and mix on medium speed until well combined. Finally, with the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture until it is completely incorporated and the dough comes together cleanly off the sides of the bowl. Next, line a 13x9-baking pan with tin foil and spray with Pam, and then press the shortbread dough into the pan in an even layer. Place the pan into the refrigerator and chill the dough for 2 hours. Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating, make the chocolate cheesecake layer.
2. To Make the Chocolate Cheesecake Layer: In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and beat until incorporated. With the mixer on low, mix in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Pour the cheesecake batter evenly over the shortbread. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheesecake is partially cooked and starting to set. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes while you make the boozy pecan pie filling.
3. To Make the Boozy Pecan Pie Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and bourbon until well combined. Stir in the pecans. Gently pour the pecan pie filling evenly over the cooled cheesecake layer. Bake the bars until set or for another 25-30 minutes. Once they are slightly set, cool the bars completely in the pan, and then place the bars in the refrigerator to chill for four to six hours.
4. Once the bars have chilled, lift them out of their pan using the tin foil and cut into squares. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!


*Check out Sweets for a Saturday for this recipe, as well as many others!!*

3 comments:

  1. These sound amazing, Juliana! I've pinned them. Thanks for sharing!
    Tracey @ The Kitchen is My Playground

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  2. What ooey gooey goodness this is. This got the #3 spot!!!

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  3. Fri & Sat are the big nights even Sunday is good depending on who is in town. Monday is slow even some restaurants that were open Sunday close on Monday.
    http://www.neworleansbarandgrill.com/bourbon-bar-greensboro.html

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