CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKE BARS

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars image

Provided by Food Network

Time 46m

Yield 1 1/2 dozen bars

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 cups finely crushed creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (about 24 cookies)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsps. Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
or 2 tsps. Crisco® Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
14 creme de menthe thin candies, chopped

Steps:

HEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of ungreased 9-inch baking pan.
BAKE 6 minutes. Cool.
BEAT cream cheese until fluffy in medium bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cookie base.
BAKE 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; chill. Just before serving, melt chocolate chips and shortening in heavy saucepan. Drizzle over top of chilled cheesecake bars. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate mint candies. Cut into bars.