Raspberry-Ripple Crunch Bars
No joke—I once dreamed about a chocolaty but delectably crisp crust, a layer of raspberries, and a creamy filling holding it all together. In the morning, I set about turning my dream into reality. These are cheesecake bars at heart, but the crunch makes them really special. If you can’t find cocoa nibs, you can sub a quarter cup of your favorite chopped nut, or just omit them—the bars will still be dreamy.
Makes 14 bars
Difficulty: Medium
Make Ahead and Storage: The bars can be refrigerated in a single layer airtight for up to 3 days.
- Crust
- 113 g / 1 cup powdered sugar
- 43 g / ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 113 g / 4 cups Rice Krispies
- 141 g / 5 oz / 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 170 g / 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (up to 70% cacao), chopped, melted, and cooled slightly
- 198 g / 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 14 g / 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs (see headnote)
- Custard Filling
- 680 g / 3 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
- 198 g / 1 cup granulated sugar
- 284 g / 5 large eggs
- 10 g / 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Topping
- 113 g / 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (up to 70% cacao), chopped, melted
- 99 g / 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 7 g / 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F / 162°C. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of overhang on the two long sides (see sidebar). Lightly grease the parchment.
2. Make the crust: Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the Rice Krispies and stir to combine. Add the melted butter and mix until the mixture is evenly moistened.
3. Press the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Pour the melted chocolate over the crust and use a small offset spatula to spread it into an even layer.
4. Arrange the raspberries in rows across the crust—you don’t need to be precise, but placing the berries in rows means you can see them in cross section when you cut the bars, which is pretty cool. I do 9 or 10 rows of 6 or so berries each. (If you don’t care, just scatter them—still delish!) Sprinkle the cocoa nibs evenly over the berries.
5. Make the custard filling: In a food processor, combine the cream cheese and granulated sugar. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, processing until well combined. Scrape the bowl well, then add the vanilla and process to combine.
6. Pour the custard over the crust—it should flow into an even layer, but you can use a small offset spatula to coax it into the edges if needed. Bake until the custard is set and lightly golden at the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
7. When the custard is thoroughly chilled, drizzle on the melted chocolate for the topping. Refrigerate for 5 minutes, or until the chocolate sets.
8. Use the parchment overhang as handles to lift the slab out of the pan. I like to trim away the edges for clean cuts (snack time!), but you don’t have to. Cut into 14 bars—1 lengthwise cut and 6 crosswise cuts. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
9. Just before serving, finish each bar with a few raspberries and a sprinkling of cocoa nibs.
✻ Why It Works
These bars take a cue from their close cousin, cheesecake: The filling is a custard, gaining most of its structure from eggs instead of flour. Like cheesecake, determining doneness can be tricky—you don’t want to overbake the custard (which could make it tough), but if it’s underbaked, it can be difficult to slice. Err on the side of overdoing it.
★ Pro Tip
The colder the slab, the better it will slice into bars. Two hours is sufficient, but if you’ve got time, just let it hang out in the fridge for as long as overnight. If you’re in a hurry, though, cut it into small squares (about 2 by 2 inches) instead of rectangles and maybe drop a dollop of whipped cream on top.