Recipe - Black Tie Bars

[blazedog]

Yesterday's New York Times had a section on entertaining. These looked fun and were served at a social dance club in Florida. I haven't seen this variation of a layered bar before.Black-Tie Bars

Published: March 28, 2004



6 tablespoons butter plus extra for greasing pan
16 ounces cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup and 1 tablespoon flour
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vegetable oil.


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. Beat 4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla at medium speed until blended. Beat in 1 cup flour on low speed. Spread over bottom of pan.

2. Microwave 12/3 cups chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons butter in a bowl on high for 1 minute, until chocolate melts. Blend and let cool slightly.

3. In another bowl, beat 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon flour at medium speed until blended. Add to the chocolate; mix well. Pour over crust in pan.

4. Combine remaining cream cheese and the confectioners' sugar and beat at medium speed until fluffy. Beat in remaining egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla, sour cream, cornstarch and orange zest. Spread over chocolate layer. Bake until edges are lightly golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool slightly.

5. Microwave remaining chocolate chips and oil on high for 40 to 60 seconds, until chocolate melts. Mix well; drizzle with a spoon over pan. Cool completely. Cut into bars; store in refrigerator.

Yield: 48 bars.

[Luckyfeather]

On Step 2, should that be 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, or 2/3 cup?

This recipe really sounds good. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[blazedog]

It is 1 2/3 cups of the chocolate chips that go into the batter. The remainder is dribbled on top. The space didn't make it through cyberspace

[Luckyfeather]

Thanks for the clarification!

[RBarry]

I'm a sucker for any dessert with cream cheese, and chocolate makes it even better! One question, how important is adding orange zest (or even lemon in other recipes)? My husband and I hate orange or lemon flavoring in desserts and I always by-pass recipes that contain zests. I'm wondering if I can just not use it and still get good results from most recipes??

[blazedog]

I guess you could try it although I would assume it would lack a grace note of flavoring.

Just curious as to why you dislike orange and lemon as I think they add a wonderful under tone to foods.

Are you sure you aren't including the pith which is bitter but only the zest?

[RBarry]

I'd be lying if I told you I knew what "pith" was! : )

I usually just grate the lemon and turn it when the "yellow" is gone.

I guess I'm always afraid that using zest will make the dish taste too much like lemon/orange. I've never liked lemon/orange cakes, pudding, sherbert, etc.