Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Dessert Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham crackers, crushed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup whole strawberries
• 1/2 cup heaving whipping cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar, divided, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar, stirring until all of the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press into an even layer in an 8x8 pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Using a food processor, process the berries until they form a puree. You should have about 1/2 a cup of berry puree. Set aside.

Place the cream cheese into a medium-sized bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in 1/3 cup of powdered sugar and the vanilla until well combined and creamy. Slowly add the strawberry puree, a little at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it thickens and holds stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture until completely combined. Pour on top of the graham cracker crust, spreading until smooth. Refrigerate until lightly set.

Melt the chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, until smooth. If the chocolate is not runny enough, you may need to add a small amount of shortening to get it to a good drizzling consistency. Drizzle the chocolate on top of the strawberry cheesecake mousse, and refrigerate overnight, or until set.

*Note: If you want to cut nice, clean pieces, set the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.