No Bake Layered Cheesecake Bars

So today, I managed to square a deal with life: I cooked. I really needed it, too. I did well on my calc test, but yesterday and today's classes were awful and I still haven't finished all of my thank-yous. Class stress always seems to equal cheesecake in my mind.

Quick aside: I use a hand-held mixer, which may give slightly different results, because my mom isn't interested in a KitchenAid that does the work for her, she's a bit old-fashioned that way I suppose. I am completely and totally in love with a green apple 5-quart Artisian and am hoping to be able to buy it later this summer. On top of all the stuff I need for college, of course (an iPod, a new computer, a telescope, a collapsible laundry hamper, light-weight and easily transportable drawered-containers, textbooks, etc. etc. etc.). So, for now, I'm making do. (You'll find out more about how I "make do" when I bake sweet rolls.)

Well, I didn't want to labor for a whole afternoon, so I went with a no-bake version of this cheesecake. It's simple and easy; it took me probably thirty total minutes to scrap together the entire final result.

Assemble the ingredients and try to find all the cooking utensils you'll need before you begin. I hate running around the kitchen as I bake.

Ingredients:
Graham crackers, crushed
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 Tbsp sugar
8 oz. semisweet baking chocolate
4 pkg. (8 oz each) cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz whipped cream (if you buy frozen, let thaw before baking)

Crush up one package of graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups) and pour the crumbs into a bowl. Add sugar and melted butter. Mix with a rubber scraper, but not an electric mixer or it'll clump.

Press the mixture into a 9x13" foil-covered pan. Put in the refrigerator to harden up a bit while you mix.

Melt 3/4 of the semi-sweet chocolate (6 pieces)--for easy recipes like this, I prefer the microwave, 30 seconds at a time until all melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

Mix up cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Add whipped cream and mix on low until smooth and creamy.

Separate half into another bowl and add the melted chocolate into one, mixing thoroughly.

Melt the last two squares of chocolate (15 seconds at a time in the microwave) as you layer the chocolate first and then the vanilla cheesecake. With the chocolate, have a lot of patience; it sticks to the graham crackers and will attempt to ruin the whole thing if you go too quickly (I found out the hard way). The vanilla layer takes much less effort. Drizzle the melted chocolate over-top. (As you can see, I had drizzling issues--it was too cool for the effect I intended and stuck to the spoon a bit.)

Put in the fridge for at least 3 hours. I was at work when the 3 hours were up, so mine sat for 6. Truthfully, this was not enough time. They look firm until you pick them up and then they jiggle like jello. I've never like no-bake recipes and this was another notch in their grave. I can list the things I wouldn't have done with a normal cheesecake and not cooking the crust so it was still very crumbly and adding so little butter start it off. I won't use this recipe again, but if you want to give it a try, go for it. Maybe you'll think of something to do that gives it some stability.

Lift out of the pan by the tin foil and spread it out flat on the counter. Cut up into squares--I went with about 1x1"--and package up. I stuck them into the freezer once they were put away. They firmed up a bit more, although I lost a lot of the crust. I'm not sure what the freezer actually did, but I hope it was enough. These beauties ('cause they don't look so bad, do they?) are now off to a somewhat-surprise birthday party. I hope they're good even though they're not right.

Keep stirring, loves!