The holidays are upon us once again, and one thing all winter holidays seem to have in common is food, glorious food. The temptation to overindulge is strong this time of year, but as we celebrate, it’s wise to heed the words of the ancient Greek poet, Hesiod, and remember, “Moderation is best in all things” (even during this festive time of year).
This week’s recipe for black and white bars is likely to challenge your resolve. These delicious cookies do, however, contain chocolate, which is full of antiinflammatory and antioxidant components, including resveratrol, which has shown anticancer properties in multiple studies. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schulz
Ingredients
- Chocolate Crust
- 1 box (8‒9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies (I use Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- Cheesecake Filling
- 4 large eggs, separated (cold eggs separate more easily. The egg whites, however, should be brought to room temperature before beating to attain maximum volume)
- 10 ounces white chocolate (true white chocolate contains cocoa butter. Use a good white chocolate, such as Valrhona or Callebaut. In contrast, white baking chips contain no cocoa butter and thus cannot be labeled “chocolate”)
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 4 teaspoon vanilla (this is equal to 1 Tbsp + 1 teaspoon)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound cream cheese (try to find a cream cheese without stabilizers, such as the Gina Marie brand)
- White Chocolate Topping
- 6 ounces white chocolate
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp white crème de cacao
Instructions
- Chocolate Crust
- Line bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat with 2 Tbsp melted butter. Crush wafers with food processor or rolling pin. Add remaining melted butter and the sugar and mix. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Cheesecake Filling
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Melt chocolate with cream over a double boiler, then let cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add yolks, 1 at a time, beating well. Add chocolate mixture, vanilla, and salt, and beat for 2 minutes.
- Using clean beaters and mixing bowl, beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form and then fold into the chocolate cream cheese mixture. Poor filling over the crust. Cook in oven until the filling has risen and is almost set, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for an additional 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
- White Chocolate Topping
- Melt chocolate, then stir in liquor and cream. Pour over cool cheesecake filling. When cool, cover and freeze for 1 hour to 1 month. Lift frozen cake from pan with edges of foil. With chef’s knife dipped into very hot water, cut into 1- or 1½-inch squares. Keep frozen until served. The bars can be decorated with melted semisweet chocolate or chocolate curls just before serving.