12 Days of Cookies: Salted Butterscotch Cheesecake Bars

  • Thursday, December 3, 2015 4:32pm
  • Life

For the crust

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

1 cup flour

1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped hazelnuts (see Note)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

For the salted butterscotch

1 cup packed light brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

11/2 teaspoons kosher salt

For the filling

24 ounces (3 packages) low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The salted butterscotch swirled throughout these bars perfectly balances the sweetness and richness of the cheesecake filling. The original recipe called for an oat-based cookie crust, but we’ve replaced it with an easier-to-slice and more flavorful hazelnut-based crust.

Make ahead: The cooled cheesecake slab needs to be refrigerated for at least 2 hours before cutting. The bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a little butter to lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

Pleat a 22-inch-long piece of aluminum foil lengthwise to make a 9-inch-wide strip, then fit it into the pan like a sling, pressing the foil into the corners to line the bottom and 2 short sides of the pan (the foil will overhang the two short sides).

Combine the flour, hazelnuts and salt in a food processor. Pulse for about 20 seconds, or until the nuts are finely ground; stop to tap down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Combine the 8 tablespoons of butter and the brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand-held electric mixer; beat on high speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is pale. Reduce the speed to low; add the flour-hazelnut mixture to make a soft dough. Press the dough evenly into the lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust just starts to brown around the edges. Let cool while you prepare the butterscotch and filling. Leave the oven on.

For the salted butterscotch: Combine the brown sugar and butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat; once it starts to bubble a bit, stir constantly for about a minute, so the mixture is smooth. Then cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat.

Immediately and carefully add the cream (the mixture will bubble), stirring until well incorporated, then stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Set the pan aside to allow the butterscotch to cool slightly.

For the filling: Combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer; beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Pour over the partially baked crust. Add about half the salted butterscotch, trying to somewhat evenly distribute it over the batter. Use a butter knife or metal skewer to swirl it into the batter, making sure to leave some pockets of salted butterscotch.

Bake (350 degrees, middle rack) for about 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and pour in the remaining half of the salted butterscotch. Repeat the swirling, taking care to be a little gentler because the cheesecake batter will have begun to set. Bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the center is mostly set (there may be a slight bit of wobble, but that’s okay). Let cool (in the pan) to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

When you are ready to cut and serve the bars, run a knife around the inside edges to release the bars from the pan. Use the overhanging foil to transfer the slab to a cutting board. Cut into 24 equal bars.

Note: To skin the hazelnuts, bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Add the hazelnuts and cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice and water. After 2 minutes, remove one nut and drop it into the ice water. If the skin can be easily removed, drain the nuts and add them all to the ice water. If not, test one nut every minute until the skin comes off easily. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Slip off and discard the hazelnut skins, then dry the nuts and spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Warm in the oven until they’re completely dry, which could take 15 to 60 minutes, before coarsely chopping for this recipe.

Makes 24 2-inch-by-2-inch bars.

Nutrition 5/8 Per bar: 260 calories, 4 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 22 g sugar

Adapted from “Quick-Shop-&-Prep 5 Ingredient Baking,” by Jennifer McHenry (Page Street Publishing, 2015).

— The Washington Post

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.