Salted Caramel Cheesecake Bars

This recipe was a pinterest find and we are in LOVE!!  We made this for dessert tonight and it is so good.  The missionaries were over for dinner, asked for seconds of this dessert, and had two 3 inch squares each!  I mix the cheesecake filling in a food processor but you can mix it any way.  I also found out that if you can't get the dulce de leche in the hispanic section of the grocery store, you can substitute it with sweetened condensed milk and it is still yummy.  Be prepared to be in salted caramel heaven!

Crust 

2 1/4 cups graham cracker or digestive biscuit crumbs (from about 17 whole graham crackers)

2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 tablespoons (142g) butter, melted

Filling

3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (225g) sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup dulce de leche
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Glaze

2/3 cup dulce de leche
2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

10 caramel chews
Fleur de sel*

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan coated with nonstick spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until coated. Transfer crumb mixture to pan. Press evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake until crust is light golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

2. Blend the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the eggs 1 at a time, blending for 3 to 5 seconds each time until incorporated.  Add in the dulce de leche and vanilla and blend until just mixed - about 10 seconds. Spread the batter evenly over the cooled crust and bake until the cheesecake mixture is just set in center and the edges are puffed and slightly cracked, about 38 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

3.  Once the cheesecake bar is cooled, pour 2/3 cup dulce de leche sauce and a the 3 tablespoons of whipping cream in a glass measuring cup.  Microwave at 10 second intervals stirring between each interval.  Do this until the mixture is smooth and combined.  Next, take about 10 caramel chews and heat them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds until just melted.  Quickly dump the melted caramel chews into the dulce de leche mixture and stir continuously until combined. The consistency should be pourable, but not too liquid.  You want the caramel topping to be soft and gooey, but not too runny that is pours down the side of your bar once you cut it.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  

4. Lastly - (and this is the best part!) when you're ready to serve the bars sprinkle the caramel glaze lightly with some fleur de sel.  

*Fleur de sel is a light and flaky sea salt, with a less salty and bitter taste than regular table or sea salt.