Checkerboard Terrace Dessert (Printable Version)

A playful dessert presenting 16 squares with crunchy, soft, sweet, and salty layers in a checkerboard pattern.

# What You Need:

→ Crunchy Layer

01 - 2.8 oz crisp shortbread cookies or graham crackers, crushed
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

→ Soft Layer

03 - 2.8 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Sweet Layer

06 - 3.5 oz dark chocolate, chopped
07 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

→ Salty Layer

08 - 2.8 oz salted caramel sauce
09 - Flaky sea salt, for garnish

→ Assembly

10 - 16 small raspberries (optional, for garnish)

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine crushed cookies with melted butter and press into an 8x8 inch parchment-lined baking dish to form a thin layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
02 - Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
03 - Heat heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Cool slightly.
04 - Use store-bought salted caramel sauce or prepare homemade in advance.
05 - Remove crunchy base from refrigerator and lightly score surface into a 4x4 grid (16 squares) using a ruler and sharp knife.
06 - Fill 4 squares each with cream cheese mixture, chocolate ganache, and salted caramel garnished with flaky sea salt. Leave 4 squares with the crunchy base, topping with raspberries if desired. Arrange to create a checkerboard pattern avoiding adjacent identical textures.
07 - Refrigerate the assembled dessert for 30 minutes to set.
08 - Carefully slice along the grid lines to produce 16 individual squares. Serve slightly chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks showstopping but comes together faster than you'd expect, with mostly no-bake components that mean less stress.
  • Each square tastes completely different, so you get four desserts in one bite-sized treat—perfect for people who can't decide on just one flavor.
  • It's endlessly adaptable; swap ingredients based on what you have or what someone's craving that day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial chill of the cookie base; without it, the layers on top will sink and shift when you try to score the grid.
  • If your ganache is still too warm when you spread it, it'll melt the cream cheese layer below it, so patience with cooling is everything.
  • A hot knife is your secret weapon for clean slices; rinse and dry it between each cut to prevent dragging.
03 -
  • A small offset spatula is not essential but makes spreading the soft and sweet layers infinitely less messy—if you don't have one, the back of a teaspoon works perfectly.
  • Flaky sea salt scattered over the caramel squares just before serving keeps its crunch and makes the salty-sweet contrast sing in a way that dissolves into forgetting if added too early.
Return