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Start by preheating your oven to 160°C or 325°F so it is nice and hot when your bars are ready to go inside. Take a square baking pan and line it with parchment paper leaving a little bit hanging over the sides to help you lift the bars out later.
In a medium bowl mix together your graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and the two tablespoons of sugar. Use a fork to stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press this firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan using the back of a large spoon to make it flat and even.
Bake this crust for about ten minutes until it smells fragrant and looks slightly golden. Remove it from the oven and let it cool down while you prepare the delicious cannoli filling.
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In a large mixing bowl beat the room temperature cream cheese with your granulated sugar until it is very smooth and has no lumps. It is important that the cream cheese is soft so everything blends together perfectly without overmixing.
Add the drained ricotta cheese to the bowl along with the vanilla extract and the ground cinnamon and the orange zest. Mix this on a low speed until it is just combined. You want the ricotta to stay a little bit textured but mostly incorporated into the cream cheese.
Add the eggs one at a time while mixing slowly. Make sure each egg is fully blended before you add the next one. This helps keep the cheesecake from cracking while it is in the oven.
Gently fold in most of your mini chocolate chips using a spatula. Save a small handful to sprinkle on top of the bars right before they go into the oven.
Pour the creamy filling over your prebaked crust and spread it out evenly with your spatula. Sprinkle those remaining chocolate chips over the top for a beautiful look.
Bake the bars for about forty five to fifty minutes. You will know they are done when the edges are set and the center still has a tiny bit of a jiggle.
Let the bars cool completely at room temperature for at least one hour. Then put them in the fridge for at least four hours or even overnight. This chilling time is vital for the flavors to develop and the texture to become firm enough to slice.
Once they are cold lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut them into squares and give them a light dusting of powdered sugar right before you serve them to your guests.
Why This Recipe Is Special
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