White and Dark Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Bars

Creamy double chocolate mascarpone cheesecake on a brown sugar shortbread base ~

Ingredients –
For the base –
100g/ 3 1/2oz/ 2/3 cup plain flour
50g/ 1 3/4oz 1/3 cup soft light brown sugar
60g/ 2 1/4oz/ 1/2 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

For the cheesecake (adapted from The French Kitchen by Joanne Harris) –
100g/ 3 1/2 oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
100g/ 3 1/2 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 tbsp sweet liqueur (I used Baileys)
1 tsp vanilla extract
200ml/ 7 fl oz/ 1 cup double/ heavy cream
250g/ 9oz mascarpone cheese
50g/ 2oz/ 1/3 cup soft light brown sugar

Optional – raspberries (or other berries of your choice) for decorating

To make the base –
– Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/ gas mark 4.
– Lightly grease a 7″ square baking tin.
– In a food processor (or with your fingertips) pulse the flour, sugar and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
– Press the shortbread mixture into the bottom of the baking tin and bake for approximately 20 minutes unto golden brown and firm to touch. Leave to cool.

To make the cheesecake –
– Melt the chocolate in separate bowls over saucepans of simmering water.
– Stir the liqueur into the dark chocolate and the vanilla extract into the white chocolate. Leave to cool.
– Whisk together the mascarpone, double cream and sugar. Whisk half of the cream mixture into the cooled dark chocolate mixture and the other half into the white chocolate.
– Spoon both cheesecake mixtures on top of the shortbread base and lightly mix together.
– Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before cutting into bars.
– Top with fresh berries to serve.