Pumpkin chocolate cheesecake bars

If you know me well, you know that I'm not the most elaborate cook.  If I have to spend more than an hour on a recipe or add more than 4 ingredients, well, it may not get made.  Quite the opposite of my husband, really.  However, I was craving something pumpkin-related tonight for dessert.  We had some friends over for dinner so I thought that I could try a new, seasonal dessert.  A little time-consuming, several ingredients, but oh, so worth it!  I thought I'd share the recipe that I found randomly online- enjoy!

My finished product

Click here to see the recipe or keep reading.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
ingredients
  1-1/4  cups  graham cracker crumbs

• 1/4  cup  sugar
• 1/3  cup  butter, melted
• 2  8-ounce packages  cream cheese, softened
• 1-3/4  cups  sugar
• 3    eggs
• 1  cup  canned pumpkin
• 1/2  teaspoon  pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2  teaspoon  vanilla
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 6  ounces  semisweet chocolate, cut up, or 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2  tablespoons  butter
• 1-1/4  cups  sour cream
• 1/4  cup  sugar
•     Grated fresh nutmeg and/or milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate curls

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.

3. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars.* Before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg and/or chocolate curls. Makes 24 to 36 bars.