Decadent desserts: 2 easy cheesecake squares and bars

Decadent cheesecake in a bite-sized dessert square? Yes, please!

There are thousands of recipes for cheesecake, but the best ones usually include more than one type of cheese. Combining cream cheese with ricotta cheese gives the cheesecake more body and a more interesting flavour. A little sour cream doesn't hurt either.

Prep time 10 min

Cook time 1 hr

Makes 20

• 2 pkgs (250 g/8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 250 g (1 c)  ricotta cheese
• 300 g (1 1/2 c) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 60 g (1/4 c or 1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted and cooled
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) cornstarch
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla extract
• 500 ml (2 c/16 oz) sour cream
• Seasonal fresh fruit (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F).
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta and sugar until smooth.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the butter or margarine, cornstarch, flour and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Fold in the sour cream.
4. Pour into a greased  23 x 33-centimetre (nine x 13-inch) baking pan. Bake, uncovered, for one hour. Turn the oven off but do not open the oven door. Let the cheesecake stand in the closed oven for two hours. Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Chill several hours or overnight. Cut into squares and serve with the fruit, if using.

Instead of fresh fruit, top the cooled cheesecake with fruit sauce before cutting into squares.

• For a strawberry sauce, melt 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) strawberry preserves over medium heat.
• Add 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) brandy, a pinch of salt and 250 millilitres (one pint) sliced strawberries.
• Cook until the berries fall apart and the liquid begins to thicken. Cool.

Cheesecake bars with two layers can be time-consuming to make. But thanks to the convenience of sweetened condensed milk, these bars take only 15 minutes of kitchen time. When a dessert is this easy — and this good — you know you'll make it often.

Prep time 15 min

Cook time 30 min

Makes 4 dozen

• 350 g (2 c/12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 100 g (1/2 c or 1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine
• 500 ml (2 c) graham cracker crumbs, divided
• 1 pkg (250 g/8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (396 g/14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 egg
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

1. In a double-boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate chips and butter or margarine, stirring occasionally.
2. Set aside 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) of the cracker crumbs. Stir the remaining cracker crumbs into the chocolate mixture.
3. Press the chocolate mixture into an ungreased  23 x 33-centimetre (nine x 13-inch) baking pan.
4. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the milk, egg and vanilla. Pour over the crust and sprinkle with the reserved crumbs.
5. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool.
6. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about three hours. Cut into bars and store in the refrigerator.

For a lower-calorie dessert, use reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel cheese) and fat-free sweetened condensed milk.

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