My niece, Leslie, spent quite a few years living in Switzerland. It was a difficult time for her and her mother, Shelley. They are very close, and being so far away from each other was hard. Leslie and her husband, David, had two children while living in Switzerland, and Shelley missed them desperately. She skyped twice a day, reading stories to the kids or just watching them while they played. This worked well, as both kids got to know their grandparents, despite the physical distance between them.

I went to visit them frequently. My family and I would meet them to ski,  which was an unbelievable experience in the most beautiful mountain terrain. I do not ski, so I had the greatest pleasure of my life–babysitting the children while everybody went skiing. I learned that life is very different in Switzerland. 

Everything in Switzerland is top quality. The streets are immaculate, there isn’t a lot of crime, and there are almost no homeless people.  In fact, there is no child crime at all in Switzerland. I was amazed that mothers would leave their children sleeping in their carriage outside their apartments, unattended while they went upstairs to catch up on chores. We would never do that here!

The trains are beautiful and will take you anywhere in Europe. You can pinpoint almost any location and get there by public transportation. Switzerland is divided into three different sections, and depending on which country you are closest to, you will speak a different language. For example, the people in the region that borders Italy will speak Italian, ditto with the area near France and Germany.  Each of those also has a different and unique Swiss accent and dialect, and it can be quite hard even for native French speakers to understand Swiss French.  Imagine that!

There is also a wealth of food.  Chocolate, pastries, cheese, fondue, beer, wine, and lots of local foods, all covered with melted cheese.  I wouldn’t say the food there is that great in general, but the high-end restaurants are very good and a pleasure to eat at. The Swiss don’t eat a lot of processed food, but people eat seasonally and locally. That’s not because it’s trendy like it is at home – that’s just how they eat. Everything you buy is fresh, there are no big supermarkets, just small ones that people frequent on a daily basis to buy food to prepare each night.

When my niece and her husband and kids moved back to the United States, my niece was petrified. Life here is different, you cannot leave your kids alone for a second, and the pace is much faster. In Switzerland, they value their free time and have fewer work hours as a result. But I do think my niece is grateful for big stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond, Home Goods, and Target. There is something to be said for stocking up on items and not having to go out and buy it every time you need it.

So, while their desserts and chocolates win over ours anytime, here is a nice treat you can make and be proud of. These delicious bars are made up of three layers: the nice buttery crust, a middle layer that is full of custardy goodness and a delectable, chewy, meringue-like top. The cheese, eggs, and butter ensure a smooth, pudding-like consistency, and the salt balances out the bar’s sweet filling. When baked, this layer is transformed into gooey deliciousness and forms a pretty crackled top. This is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert or just because you feel like it. 

This recipe is courtesy of Cook’s Country and will satisfy the sweet tooth of 10 to 12 lucky people.

Ingredients for Gooey Butter Cake Bars:

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (3 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted

For the Filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
4 cups (1 pound) confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting
2 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Line a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with tin foil, making sure to have it hang over the sides.

Grease with oil spray.

Set aside.

Make the Crust:

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.

Stir in the melted butter with a rubber spatula until evenly moistened.

Crumble the dough evenly over the prepared pan.

Using the bottom of a measuring cup, gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan.

Poke the dough all over with the tines of a fork, about 20 times.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before filling, about 30 minutes.

Maintain the oven temperature while it cools

Make the filling:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter.

Mix on medium speed until combined.

With the mixer running on low speed, pour in the sugar and beat until fully combined, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low and mix in the eggs and yolks, one at a time, mixing well between additions.

Mix in the vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread the filling over the cooled crust in an even layer.

Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles then place in the oven and bake about 30 minutes until golden brown and the edges have cracked, and the center just jiggles when gently shaken.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Once the bars have cooled completely, carefully remove the bars by lifting the tinfoil up.

Place on a cutting board and slice the bars into 12 pieces.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Store any leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature up to 3-4 days.

It’s that simple!