Black and White Cheesecake Squares: It's a Martha Good Thing!

Debber's Note:

Chocolate AND cream-cheese in one recipe--I'm sure these are "too good for kids," so share sparingly with the younger set! The rich chocolate base provides the foundation for the creamy cheesecake layer with generous chocolate crumbles scattered over the top. This one comes from the back page in Martha Stewart Living's magazine "The Last Course", April '09. Prep Time includes chilling cookie layer after baking (before adding the cream cheese layer).

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 1.0 13x9 pan

Cookie Layer and Topping

• 2 cups flour (plus 2 T. more)
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese , softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Spray a 13x9 pan, line with parchment paper (overhang by 2-inches & spray that part too); set aside.
2. Sift dry "cookie layer" ingredients into a large bowl.
3. Cream butter and sugar in another bowl; add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth, scraping occasionally.
4. Reduce speed, add flour mixture; increase mixer speed to medium, beat until well-mixed.
5. Reserve 1 CUP dough (cover & chill).
6. Press remaining dough in prepapred pan; chill for 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven, then bake cookie dough in pan; edges will puff, base is set (about 25 minutes); cool on a wire rack.
8. If the oven is off, please preheat again to 325 for the next step.
9. Mix cream cheese ingredients in a mixing bowl. Spread over cooled cookie dough; crumble reserved dough on top of cheese layer.
10. Bake until cream cheese is set (25-30 minutes).
11. Cool on wire rack; lift out using overhanging parchment paper.
12. Cut into 24 squares for nibbles of goodness OR larger for bake sale goodies.
13. Store in covered container in fridge.