Caramel Toffee Cheesecake Bars

I have to admit that I'm not a huge cheesecake fan, of course if someone offers me a slice of it I won't say no, but let's just say that I'll never select it on a dessert menu if ever I was dining out.  It turns out that there are many people that love and crave cheesecake so sometimes if I want to bring a dessert to a party or a pot luck, a cheesecake is almost always a crowd pleaser.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the love of cheesecake, sweet yet tangy, and oh so rich.  However, to make cheesecake seem more crave-worthy for me I've got to pair it with one of my favourite flavours, which is caramel.  These cheesecake bars have caramel in the filling and toffee bits in the graham crust and then the cheesecake gets a drizzle of vanilla bean caramel on top.  Oh yeah, now we're talking!

This is the start of something good!  Just be patient and keep an eye over the sugar to make sure it doesn't burn.

I brought the caramel to a nice amber colour because I like a slightly darker caramel.

This was the final product after the heavy cream was added to the caramelized sugar.  

This was the prepared crust with the toffee bits sprinkled on top.

I added 1/3 cup of the caramel sauce to the cream cheese filling.  It looks good already!

The cheesecake bar is pretty good on it's own, but it's definitely decadent with the homemade caramel drizzled on top!

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients
For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup toffee bits

For the filling:
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup caramel sauce (see recipe below)

For topping:
Additional caramel sauce, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar.  Toss with a fork until evenly mixed.  Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer in the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle the toffee bits in an even layer over the graham cracker mixture.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven, but maintain the oven temperature.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the sugar.  Blend in the egg, vanilla, and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the caramel sauce.  Pour the mixture over the crust in a even layer.

Return the pan to the oven and bake just until set, about 30-35 minutes.  Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.  Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Slice into squares with a large kitchen knife and drizzle additional caramel sauce over the cheesecake. prior to serving.

Source: Barely adapted from Annie's Eats  

Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Spread the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Place over medium-low heat, watching carefully.  When the sugar begins to liquefy around the edges, use a heatproof spatula to gently stir it towards the center.  Continue stirring very gently until all the sugar is melted, taking care not to over stir.  Measure out the heavy cream in a liquid measuring cup and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream.  Set aside.  Once the caramel reaches a deep amber color, immediately remove the sauce pan from the heat.  (To test the color, spoon a drop onto a white plate or bowl.)  Carefully whisk in half of the heavy cream along with the vanilla bean seeds.  The mixture will steam and bubble violently.  Stir until the cream is well incorporated, then whisk in the remaining cream.  Stir in the salt and the vanilla.  If any sugar has hardened, place the saucepan over low heat and whisk until smooth.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  If needed, it can be rewarmed in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.

Source: Annie's Eats