KETO Friendly Mint Cheesecake & Chocolate Leprechaun Bars

These are a light and tasty low carb treat
that even non KETO eaters will enjoy!

Ingredients:
for cake layer:
parchment paper
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup Lakanto Baking or Classic sweetener** (or sweetener of choice)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder

for cheesecake layer:
16 ounces (2 boxes) cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup Lakanto Baking or Classic sweetener** (or sweetener of choice)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
4 drops green food coloring
small portion of a sugar free dark chocolate bar (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350*. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sweetener, until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the eggs, vanilla and water. Add the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix until all of the ingredients are well blended. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the chocolate layer is baking, beat together the cheesecake ingredients until creamy and smooth. Remove the pre-baked chocolate layer from the oven and gently spoon the cheesecake layer evenly over the top. Grate a bit of chocolate bar over the top of the cheesecake layer. Return to the oven and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer is set.

Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Transfer the  bars and parchment to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Cut into 36 bars. Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. Serve chilled. Makes 36 Leprechaun bars.

**Lakanto Baking sweetener is finer than the Classic sweetener and creates a smoother textured dessert. If you do not have the Baking sweetener, you can process the Classic sweetener, in a food processor, to create a similar product.
(My husband likes the Baking sweetener so much, that he asked me to buy more, regardless of the cost!!)

Note: These pretty bars have a perfect light texture and taste.

Nutritional info per bar:
115.3 calories ~ 29.7 grams fat ~ 2.1 grams net carbs ~ 3.2 grams protein