Black Forest Cheesecake Bars

These are my own creation. I took a year and a half of baking and pastry at CC, but I still like my short cuts every once and a while. These are wonderful and quite easy. They are kind of messy though. VERY rich!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/4ounce) box  chocolate cake mix
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 cup  miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup  slivered  toasted almond (optional)
• 8  ounces cream cheese
• 1⁄4 cup powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  bourbon vanilla
• 1  egg
• 1 (20 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine chocolate cake mix, butter and 1 egg. Once mixed through add the chocolate chips and toasted almonds. It will resemble cookie dough.
3. Line 12x 8x baking dish with dough. Bake for 8 minutes or until set, but not dark brown.
4. Cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, 1 egg and vanilla.
5. Pour cream cheese mixture over set crust and spread out evenly, but leaving a little room on the edges.
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is set.
7. Let cool completely and pour your pie filling over the top. Spread the filling over evenly and cut bars.