Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

• Crust
• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap or spiced wafer cookie crumbs (best to use are Ivin's or Sweetzel's - use approximately 20 wafers)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• Filling
• 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 3 eggs (large)
• 1 cup fresh cooked, pureed pumpkin (if using canned, make sure it is pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix!)
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (can also use semi-sweet)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• For Garnish (optional): Grated fresh nutmeg or chocolate curls

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine gingersnap cookie crumbs and 3 Tbsp. brown sugar. Stir in the 1/4 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on rack and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.
4. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the chocolate chips and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars.rnrn*Before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg and/or chocolate curls for garnish.

crust, cookie crumbs, brown sugar, butter, filling, cream cheese, white sugar, eggs, fresh cooked, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt, chocolate chips, unsalted butter, sour cream, white sugar, nutmeg

Taken from food52.com/recipes/7561-pumpkin-chocolate-cheesecake-bars (may not work)