Cheesecake-Chocolate Pudding Bars

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated Aug. 6, 2021

Cheesecake-Chocolate Pudding Bars
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour, plus 5½ hours’ chilling
Rating
4(676)
Comments
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You may know it as chocolate delight or chocolate lush, but while this dessert has many names, the recipe rarely varies. Traditionally, it starts with a salty nut base, followed by a mixture of cream cheese and Cool Whip, a layer of boxed-mix chocolate pudding, and then even more Cool Whip. This from-scratch version starts with a crumbly pecan shortbread, which adds texture and salt. The homemade pudding tastes of deep, dark chocolate and serves as the perfect contrast to the simple no-bake cheesecake layer. Gilding the lily with freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings isn’t imperative, but it certainly takes it to another level.

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Ingredients

Yield:9 servings

    For the Pecan Crust

    • ⅔cup/86 grams all-purpose flour
    • ⅔cup/80 grams finely chopped pecans
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • 5tablespoons/76 grams unsalted butter, melted 

    For the Cheesecake Layer

    • 8ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ½cup/62 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • 2teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • ¾cup/187 milliliters cold heavy cream

    For the Pudding

    • 3ounces/85 grams bittersweet or semisweet bar chocolate, chopped
    • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons/75 grams granulated sugar
    • 3tablespoons cocoa powder
    • 3tablespoons cornstarch 
    • ½teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1½cups/375 milliliters whole milk
    • 3large egg yolks

    For Serving

    • 1cup/250 milliliters cold heavy cream
    • 1tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
    • Chocolate shavings (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (9 servings)

625 calories; 48 grams fat; 26 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 326 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecans, salt and melted butter; mix with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. Tip the mixture into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Press the mixture into a flat, even layer using your fingertips. Bake until dry and golden, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

  2. Step 2

    While the crust cools, prepare the cheesecake layer: In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the prepared crust. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1½ hours.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare the pudding: Set the chopped chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Add the milk, little by little, while whisking to incorporate it fully. Whisk in the egg yolks.

  4. Step 4

    Heat the mixture over medium, whisking constantly, until it has thickened and just come to a low boil. Continue to cook the pudding, whisking, for another minute, then immediately pour it into the sieve, pushing it through with a small spatula. Let the pudding stand for 1 minute, then whisk it with the butter and chocolate until smooth. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. (To speed up the process, spread the pudding into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Stir often until the pudding has cooled, about 10 minutes.)

  5. Step 5

    Whisk to remove any lumps that may have formed while cooling. Dollop the cold pudding over the top of the cheesecake. Carefully spread the pudding out into an even layer. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

  6. Step 6

    Whip the remaining heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar to stiff peaks. Spread on top of the pudding. Garnish with chocolate shavings and cut into squares to serve.

Ratings

4 out of 5
676 user ratings
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Comments

mary

The order should be reversed for ease and timing: make the pudding first!

Corri-Lynn

When I was a kid , my Mom and Aunties called this dessert Sex in Pan.

dorothy dortin

I have been making this dessert literally for well over 30 years so who knows how long it's been around or the origin. My recipe calls for two 3.9 oz boxes of your favorite flavor instant chocolate pudding with 3 cups very cold whole milk. Every once in a while I do a graham cracker crust. The 9x13 pan is empty within 48 hours. When I make this for company it never fails to surprise me they have never heard of it but every time ask for the recipe. I have one in the printer ready to go.

Steve M

Just made this and it was outstanding! One of the best desserts I’ve ever had. The pecan crust was the perfect addition to balance the sweet cheesecake and pudding layers with a salty crisp. VERY highly recommend.

GAF

This was the first NYTimes recipe I was really disappointed with. It just was not worth the effort.. Super, like almost inedibly, rich (and I've made and liked a lot of rich desserts!) and not particularly flavorful. I even added espresso powder to the pudding and freshly ground cardamom sprinkled on top and it was pretty underwhelming flavor-wise. I liked that it wasn't too sweet but that's about it. Not worth the effort or calories, in my opinion.

Maggie

My daughter requested this for her birthday dessert. It is a long recipe but is very manageable when done in the consecutive steps. I made the pudding not before but after the cream cheese layer was done, and it still went together in an easy morning of baking. The quality of the cream cheese layer with the very deeply chocolate pudding layer sends this dessert over the top,,, mmmmmm

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