Cream Cheese Chocolate Toffee Bars

Anything that combines chocolate, cream cheese and toffee is ok in my book!  I adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, who used mascarpone cheese in hers (doesn't she in everything?  Love her!).  These are rich and decadent and sort of a semi-homemade type dessert because you use refrigerated cookie dough for the crust.      

Makes 21 bars

1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1/2 cup toffee bits

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 7 x 10 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Lay a piece of parchment paper in the pan, allowing excess paper to overhang the sides.  Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.  

In a medium bowl, combine the cookie dough, 1/2 of the toffee bits and vanilla extract.  Using damp fingers, gently press the dough into the pan.  Using a fork, prick the dough all over.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is lightly browned.  Cool for 15 minutes. 

Place the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a medium bowl.  Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate is melted.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.  Using a spatula, spread the chocolate mixture over the cooled crust.  Sprinkle the remaining toffee bits over the mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.  

Peel off the parchment paper and cut into bars, serve at room temperature.