Chocolate-Cherry Fudge Bars

Ingredients

• 4 oz baker's chocolate unsweetened
• 0.8 cup butter 
• 2 oz philadelphia cream cheese softened ()
• 3  eggs 
• 1 cup flour 
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar 
• 3.9 oz jell-o chocolate flavor pudding instant
• 0.8 cup maraschino cherries with 7 tbsp. of the juice reserved, divided chopped
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• wire rack
• toothpicks
• aluminum foil
• microwave

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.
3. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
4. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add flour and pudding mix; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup cherries and 1/3 cup of the reserved cherry juice; spread into prepared pan.
6. Bake 30 to 35 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack.
7. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining cherry juice until blended.
8. Drizzle over cooled dessert; top with remaining cherries. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars.