Heavenly Salted Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Cheesecake Bars


Two Heavenly Salted Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Cheesecake Bars

Salted Dulce de Leche + Cheesecake = Heaven! These creamy, caramel-ly bars with a crumbly crust will definitely satisfy your sweet (and salty) tooth!


What is Dulce de Leche?


Dulce de Leche (which literally means a sweet made from milk in Spanish) is a milk-based caramel that is very popular throughout Latin America. There are some variations from region to region, but the most basic dulce de leche recipe calls for slowly heating sweet and condensed milk until thickened and caramel in color. Similarly, dulce de leche can be made by boiling an unopened can of sweet and condensed milk for 2 to 3 hours (or about 30-45 minutes in a pressure cooker—our mother’s go-to method!). 

Open Can of La Lechera Brand Dulce de Leche (Caramel)Already prepared dulce de leche is also readily available commercially. Some brands we like include La LecheraPatagonia and La Salamandra


Dulce de Leche vs. Caramel 


While dulce de leche and caramel have many similarities, there are a couple of important distinctions between them. Rather than heating milk at low heat, basic caramel—as illustrated in this flan recipe—is made from heating sugar at relatively high heat until it caramelizes. This basic caramel is then combined with other ingredients, such as cream, half and half, butter and/or vanilla extract, in order to make a caramel sauce. 

Spoonful of Dulce de Leche (Caramel) from a Can Dulce de leche is spectacular with a number of breakfast foods (e.g., pancakes, crepes, and toast). It’s also fantastic as a topping or filling for cakes and cookies, stirred in coffee, warmed over ice cream, and of course, by the spoonful! 

Two Heavenly Salted Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Cheesecake Bars Plated with a Fork

 


Recipe for Heavenly Salted Dulce de Leche (Caramel) Cheesecake Bars

Yields 24
Print
Ingredients
  1. For the Crust:

  2. Nonstick vegetable oil spray

  3. 1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs

  4. 1 1/2 cups finely ground shortbread cookies, preferably Lorna Doone brand (about 35 cookies)

  5. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  6. 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

  7. For the Filling:

  8. 3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand) at room temperature

  9. 1 cup of sugar

  10. 3 large eggs at room temperature

  11. 1/2 cup purchased dulce de leche

  12. 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

  13. For the Glaze:

  14. 4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, plus more as necessary

  15. 1 cup purchased dulce de leche

  16. Fleur de sel

Instructions
  1. For the Crust:
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, shortbread cookie crumbs and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture is coated. Using your fingers, press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is golden. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool completely.

  3. For the Filling:
  4. In a stand mixer or food processor blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time and process in between each addition for about 5 seconds to blend. Add the dulce de leche and vanilla extract and process until blended (about 20 seconds). Spread the batter evenly over the cooled crust and bake for about 30 minutes or until just set in the center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool completely.

  5. For the Glaze:
  6. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (about 1 minute) and whisk in the dulce de leche until smooth and creamy. If the dulce de leche mixture is too thick to be poured, add additional cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a pourable consistency is reached. Pour the glaze over the cooled cheesecake and slightly tilt the pan from side to side and front to back until the glaze is spread evenly. Refrigerate to chill for at least 1 hour. To serve, cut the cheesecake lengthwise, wiping the knife in between, in 4 strips and then crosswise into 6 strips. Sprinkle each bar with fleur de sel to taste.

  7. Make Ahead:

  8. This recipe can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until serving.

Adapted from Bon Appétit | June 2010
Sweet and Sabroso https://www.sweetandsabroso.com/wordpress/

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!Salud!

We're the Velasco sisters, co-founders of Sweet and Sabroso, a new food and wine blog inspired by our Spanish-Cuban heritage, love of food and wine and all things sweet and savory. Thank you for visiting, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

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