It’s serious holiday times boys and girls, and you know what that means – it’s calorie season.  Woo woo!

Of course, every day is calorie season on a baking blog, but don’t let that detract from my original message.  That being: “Quick, eat this before I do.”

I thought I’d start off my calorie-laden holiday baking on a high note: Egg Nog Cheesecake Squares.

I first made these two years ago when my brother bought me Southern Living’s Best Loved Cookies cookbook, back when I was still in fledgling baker-hood.  They were delicious back then and they prove to continue to be so.  Why just make a cheesecake when you can throw in egg nog and REALLY clog up those arteries?  The book actually calls these “Cheesecake Swirl Squares”, not “Egg Nog Cheesecake Squares”, which I think is a little misleading.  The recipe straight-up requires egg nog (by “requires” I mean “directly calls for”), and to not include that in the title of the recipe leads one to believe that this is simply cheesecake in bite-sized form – not true!  The fact that it includes egg not makes it immediately a holiday recipe (both because nobody drinks egg nog outside of the holidays, and because you can’t actually FIND egg not anywhere outside of the holidays), and I think it does a disservice to the reader not to indicate that immediately.  Just sayin’. >.>

The original recipe calls for an 8×8 or 9×9 pan, but since I only had one of those and wanted to double the recipe, I ratcheted it into lazy-mode and went with a 9×13.  I did end up with some leftover cheesecake filling, but really, there’s nothing wrong with extra cheesecake.  Especially extra chocolate cheesecake.

   

Outside of this recipe dirtying quite a few number of bowls and appliances, it’s pretty straight-forward.  Beat together your cheesecake and eggs, flavor them with whatever type of chocolate you want (white or bittersweet), mix with egg nog and pour into your crust.  Hey-presto, cheesecake squares!

Slacker/Neato Tip: (haven’t had one of these in awhile!) Maybe this isn’t news to you, but my friend Kate taught me that if you want to decrease the likelihood of separating in your cheesecake (that being the “tears” you get in your cheesecake as it’s cooling), let it cool – at least for awhile – inside the oven.  That means once the cake is done baking turn the oven off, open it slightly, but leave the cake in there so it can cool down slowly and not separate.  It works!

Having a holiday party?  I would definitely say you should take the time to make these.  They’re a crowd pleaser, and you’re basically guaranteed to not have any leftovers that you’re “forced” to eat yourself.

Hope everyone’s having a great December…more holiday desserts coming soon!

Egg Nog Cheesecake Squares

From Southern Living’s Cheesecake Swirl Squares.

My Notes:

• I used a 9×13 pan and basically doubled the recipe (see following bullets for details).
• I doubled everything regarding the filling, but found that the amounts given for the crumb crust were perfect (to my taste) for a 9×13 pan.
• Because I baked in a bigger pan, I might suggest turning the oven temperature down a little bit and baking it longer.  Say, 325F for ~45 minutes?  Let me know how that works out. ^_^
• I ended up with approximately 1 cup of leftover chocolate-flavored cheesecake filling.  I suggest making mini-cheesecakes, or eating it with a spoon directly out of the mixing bowl, sequestered away from prying, judgey eyes.  Or maybe making less of the filling chocolate.  Y’know…whatever.
• These are SUPER rich and – as previously mentioned – calorie laden, so definitely cut them into small squares so as not to kill your friends and family.
• Consume with gusto!