Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars, with sea salt sprinkled on top

By á-47

Ingredients

• CRUST
• 2 1/4 cups finely ground graham crackers (from about 17 whole crackers)
• 2 Tbsp.sugar
• 1/4 tea. cinnamon
• 1 1/4 sticks butter (10 Tbsp), melted
• .
• FILLING
• 3 8-oz. pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche (canned in Mexican section)
• 2 tea. vanilla
• .
• GLAZE
• 2/3 cup dulce de leche
• 3 Tbsp.(or more) heavy whipping cream
• Fleur de sel (course ground sea salt)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9x13 metal baking pan with nonstick spray.

CRUST: Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

FILLING: Blend cream cheese and sugar in processor until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, processing 3-5 seconds to blend between additions. Add dulce de leche and vanilla; process until blended, about 10 seconds. Spread batter evenly over cooled crust. Bake until just set in center and edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool competely.

GLAZE: Heat delce de leche and 3 Tbsp. cream in microwave-safe bowl in 10-second intervals until melted. Stir to blend, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if too thick to pour (amount of cream needed will depend on brand of dulce de leche). Pour glaze over cooled cheesecake; spread evenly. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour (glaze will not be firm).

Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.

Cut cheesecake lengthwise into 4 strips, then crosswise into 6 strips, forming 24 bars. Sprinkler bars with fleur de sel or coarse ground sea salt.