chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars

I've had the most epic headache all weekend. Woke up in excruciating pain yesterday, took as many meds as I could find through blurry vision, threw a cold, wet rag over my forehead and eyes, and went back to sleep for as long as possible. Pain lessened, I was able to function relatively normally for the remainder of the day and night, then woke up this morning with a dull ache, yet again. Though, not half as bad as yesterday's.

You know what I think it is? Spring fever. Forrull. Which is odd, as I've never really had spring fever before. I even looked it up: "weariness (despite an adequate amount of sleep), sensitivity to changes in the weather, dizziness, irritability, headaches, and sometimes aching joints and a lack of drive are the most common" [thank you wikipedia].

It makes total sense, seeing as how I have never felt less motivated to do something productive in my LIFE. I just want to sleep off this headache for about a week straight. I think that'll be good for me. A mental health week. Full of napping and baking.

Amidst my lack of motivation this weekend, I found some time [i.e. threw astronomy aside] to bake. Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars, to be precise. These are for Jeremy, who turns 20 on Tuesday. He and Zack are often on the receiving end of leftover desserts that Noosh and I can't bear to keep in the apartment [lucky them], but for the most part they've been peanut-butter-and-chocolate based. So this time I decided to shake things up a bit.

This recipe has a few components, but isn't difficult at all.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from browneyedbaker

For the crust, you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs [about 8 whole graham crackers]
• 5 tbsp butter, melted

For the cookie dough layer, you'll need:

• 5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the cheesecake layer, you'll need:

• 10 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg 
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp flour

For the ganache, you'll need:

• 10 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 5 tbsp heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line and grease an 8x8-inch square pan. To prepare crust, combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs. Mix thoroughly and pour onto the base of the pan. Spread crumbs evenly, pressing them into the base, and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.

To prepare cookie dough layer, combine cooled, melted butter and sugar and mix until well blended. Add in flour and mix. Add in vanilla and chocolate chips. Pour cookie dough on top of the cooled graham cracker crust and spread evenly. Refrigerate while making the cheesecake filling.

To prepare cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in vanilla and egg, and beat until well blended. Toss the chocolate chips in about a tsp of flour, and then stir into the cream cheese mixture. Pour filling on top of the cookie dough base. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45-55 minutes, until the filling has set. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare ganache, combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and melt [about 1 minute in the microwave]. Let cool at least 4-5 minutes. Pour ganache over cooled cream cheese, and spread evenly. Refrigerate bars for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store bars in the refrigerator.

Man these are delicious. Yes, I did eat one. And maybe a little more than one. But it was worth every carbohydrate.

Helps that I got rid of them this evening too.

But that's besides the point.

Ready for this week to be over already.

And it hasn't even started?

Ugh, motivation, don't leave me just yet...

Happy birthday, Jerm :)