Mascarpone Cheesecake Bars

*Recipe follows story

Before I leave town for weekend trips it is absolutely necessary that I use every last bit of food in my tiny refrigerator.

There wasn’t much to speak of, really, but a lone container of mascarpone, cream cheese and chocolate biscuits.  I inherited 2 large packs of chocolate biscuits from Susana because she had a surplus, as she purchased the wrong cookie on her food hike to Jackson Heights last week.  And with mascarpone obsession 2011 going on, it always seems to be lying around my fridge.  Kind of like how I’d like an Italian man to just casually be lying around my house.  

Nude.  

Maybe the mascarpone and cream cheese would’ve been fine for another 5 days in the refrigerator, but I have this strange thing about food being lonely or fighting it out while I’m away.  The food in my refrigerator has a life, I don’t know about your condiments, cheese, veggies and meats - but mine do.   Who would win, cream cheese or mascarpone?  Cream cheese would definitely make fun of mascarpone for his Italian accent and mascarpone would tell cream cheese he was beneath him because he’s American.  I knew it would get nasty and classist, and I couldn’t have that kind of discord while I was leaving town for a D.C. friend fest.  I didn’t want the cream cheese and mascarpone to fight or feel rejected - considering the fact that I did manage to use all of my apples, blueberries, cherries, chicken sausage and garbanzo beans this week.  A random hodge-podge of breakfasts and dinners were made.  And all so strange and not gourmet, so I didn’t log them here.  Maybe I’ll do it on another odd food week.  Post pictures of my hair-brained meal concoctions - but that’s another story.   

A few weeks ago I collected a recipe from a friend for cheesecake bars…
Cream cheese and mascarpone shall fight no more!
This recipe seemed like the perfect opportunity to put the goods to use, so the lone dairy needn’t be lonely anymore…
And they needn’t fight or argue, for now their super powers and tastiness would be combined in a little bar made with love.  

Jenny’s mom’s cheesecake bars are a bit different than my adaptation below, but it was a good starting point and a source of inspiration.  

Mascarpone Cheesecake Bars

1 8 oz. package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 8 oz. container mascarpone (room temperature)
1/3 c. white sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 ½ sleeves chocolate tea biscuits (chocolate graham crackers will do (12 squares) – or substitute with plain graham crackers or Social Tea biscuits)
6 T. unsalted butter (melted)
2 T. dark brown sugar

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-In a food processor fit with a steel blade, pulse biscuits until powdery and fine, add brown sugar and butter and continue to mix until crumbs are completely coated with butter
-Press crumbs into an 8x8 baking dish, so the bottom is evenly coated and put the remainder of the crumbs aside 
-Bake crust in the oven for 12-13 minute, remove from the oven and put aside
-Using an electric mixer, on low speed, beat mascarpone, cream cheese and sugar 
-Add vanilla and egg and continue to beat until all ingredients are mixed together
-Spread cheesecake mixture on top of crust and sprinkle with remaining crumbs and bake for 25 minutes
-Place directly in the refrigerator and let cool for 1-2 hours
-Slice into honking squares and nom