Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Squares

Total Time: 6 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 48
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 24 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 tablespoons shortening

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 300ºf.
• 2 line 8" square pan w/heavy duty foil with foil extending over sides of pan.
• 3 spray foil w/nonstick spray.
• 4 in a small bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mixing well.
• 5 press into bottom of foil lined, sprayed pan.
• 6 in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
• 7 add all remaining filling ingredients; beat until smooth.
• 8 pour over crust.
• 9 bake at 300ºf.
• 10 for 40 to 45 minutes or until edges appear set.
• 11 center will be soft but sets as it cools.
• 12 refrigerate until chilled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 13 freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
• 14 lift cheesecake out of pan by lifting foil.
• 15 cut into 48 squares and place each square onto waxed paper.
• 16 melt coating ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat until smooth, stirring frequently.
• 17 cool slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• 18 put into a small 2-cup bowl.
• 19 use a fork to stick into tops of squares, dip each one into coating and coat bottom and sides, let excess drip off.
• 20 place back onto waxed paper.
• 21 spoon about 1 teaspoon coating mixture over each bite to coat the tops and smooth with the back of the spoon.
• 22 let stand until firm, about 20 minutes.
• 23 store in the fridge.
• 24 tips.
• 25 try different flavored crumbs for the crust: chocolate or cinnamon grahams, vanilla or chocolate wafers.
• 26 you can also slice cheesecake into larger squares and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top.
• 27 look in the cake decorating supplies department for dipping forks, which are angled for dipping.