Eggnog Bars
After posting the above photo on Facebook, one FB friend requested this recipe.
This is a favorite of mine that I just made again for a holiday party this week.
It comes from Elinor Klivans, who included it in her book “125 Cookies to Bake, Nibble and Savor.”
The photo shows the pan just after it comes out of the oven. Then they are cooled, chilled and cut into bars that are essentially small cheesecakes whose creaminess and seasonings of rum and nutmeg mirror the characteristics of eggnog.
If desired, these can be individually wrapped after being cut into bars and frozen up to one month. Frozen bars should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
For best results, use whole nutmeg and grate it just before adding it to the recipe.
The recipe calls for 12 bars, but I typically cut them into smaller pieces to make more bars, especially if they will be served as part of a large holiday spread.
Eggnog Bars
Recipe from “125 Cookies to Bake, Nibble and Savor “(1998, Broadway Books) by Elinor Klivans.
Nutmeg Graham Cracker Crust:
23/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Eggnog Filling:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 to 4 hours at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan with heavy aluminum foil, letting the foil extend over the ends of the pan (with enough excess to easily grip with your hands). Butter the bottom and sides of the foil.
2. To make the crust, put graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix together. Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened with the butter. Transfer crumbs to the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the aluminum foil. Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Cool the crust while making the filling.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. To make the filling, put cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute, and blend in the sugar and flour. Add the egg and egg yolk and blend until smooth. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla, rum and whipping cream. Pour the filling into the crumb crust. Sprinkle (or grate) the nutmeg evenly over the top.
5. Bake about 25 minutes, or until the filling looks set when you give the pan a gentle shake.
6. Cover the pan loosely with paper towels and cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Discard the paper towels and refrigerate pan uncovered for 1 hour. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours or overnight.
7. To serve, grab overhanging ends of foil, gently lift and carefully transfer to a cutting board or work surface. Cut into 12 or more bars and discard foil. Store the bars covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Makes 12 bars.
