{This Giveaway is now closed}
We are celebrating my 1st Blogiversary this weekend with a fabulous Giveaway and a delicious dessert! First, the Giveaway…
Because I love you and Alaska from Scratch wouldn’t be what it is today without you, I am giving away one of my favorite and most-used kitchen items: The Lodge Color 6-quart Dutch Oven!!! I so often feature my dutch oven (I have the green one) in my recipes and posts and I receive many comments from readers asking what to do if they don’t own a dutch oven. Well, now’s your chance to get one. And, even if you already have one, it can’t hurt to own a second one, or hey, give it away as a gift to a favorite cook in your life.
Here are the Giveaway Rules:
To enter the Giveaway, leave a comment on this post answering this question: What is the first thing you would make in your new Dutch Oven if you win this Giveaway?
Additional Entries (each one of these equals 1 additional Giveaway Entry):
1. Subscribe to Alaska from Scratch and leave an additional comment below saying you have done so.
2. “Like” Alaska from Scratch on Facebook and leave an additional comment below saying you have done so.
3. Follow @AlaskaScratch on Twitter and leave an additional comment below saying you have done so.
4. Post or tweet the link to this Giveaway on Facebook OR Twitter and leave an additional comment below saying you have done so.
That’s a whopping total of 5 possible Giveaway entries!
All entries must be submitted by 10pm Alaska Time on Sunday, October 7, 2012 to be considered eligible. One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday, October 8, 2012. Everyone is always welcome to comment, subscribe, and become Facebook/Twitter followers, but I am only able to ship to addresses within the U.S. at this time.
This Giveaway is sponsored exclusively by Alaska from Scratch.
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I thought long and hard about what kind of recipe to feature for my Blogiversary. I wanted it to be something sweet and something special. These Four Layer Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars are exactly that. These beautiful bars stand out in the vast sea of pumpkin treats and baked goods swirling around this time of year. I would even be so bold to say that these may be one of the very best pumpkin desserts I’ve ever put in my mouth.
You start with a buttery, crunchy graham cracker crust.
Next you spread on the chocolate pumpkin cheesecake layer made from melted semisweet chocolate whipped into some of the pumpkin cheesecake base.
Then you add the pumpkin cheesecake layer and bake it until it’s all beautifully set and gorgeous.
Finally, you spread lightly-sweetened sour cream on the cooled cheesecake. And you put this whole stunning masterpiece in the refrigerator to set up and allow the flavors to mingle into fall bliss.
This is sooooooo tremendously good. Rich chocolate meets spiced pumpkin meets cooling sour cream all on top of a caramelly graham cracker crust. Oh my word. I wish you could sit down and enjoy this with me and celebrate. Happy Blogiversary to me.
Be looking forward to the article The Year I Became a Food Blogger coming up this weekend!
Four Layer Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Adapted from [Hostess with the Mostess|http://blog.hwtm.com/2010/11/layered-pumpkin-chocolate-cheesecake-bars/]
Yields: 24 bars
- For the Crust:
- 1-1/4c graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4c sugar
- 1/3c butter, melted
- For the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
- 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1-3/4c sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1c canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2t [pumpkin pie spice|http://alaskascratch.wpengine.com/2012/09/21/pumpkin-pie-spice-mix/]
- 1/2t vanilla
- 1/4t salt
- For the Chocolate Cheesecake Layer:
- 1c semisweet chocolate chips (or 6oz semisweet chocolate, chopped)
- 2T butter
- For the Sour Cream Topping:
- 1-1/4c sour cream
- 1/4c sugar
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9x13 pan.
In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the baking pan (the back of a spatula works well for this).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth. Incorporate the eggs, followed by the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt.
Pour the mixture into another bowl. From the mixture measure 1-1/4c and return it to the bowl of the stand mixer. Fit the stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
To a small saucepan over low heat, add the chocolate and the butter. Stir until melted. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl of the stand mixer and whip it into the 1-1/4c pumpkin cheesecake mixture you have reserved. Beat on medium-high until smooth.
Carefully pour the chocolate cheesecake mixture over the crust and very carefully spread evenly with an off-set spatula (the crust will lift from the bottom of the pan if you're not careful, just take your time and don't worry if a few crumbs mix into the chocolate). Bake for 15 minutes.
Pour the remaining pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the baked chocolate layer. Bake for 35-45 minutes more or until set in the center. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream and sugar until smooth. Spread over the cooled cheesecake using an off-set spatula. Cool bars completely, then chill for at least three hours in the refrigerator.
Cut into bars (for best presentation, wipe off the knife between each cut).
