No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

So, the other day I had a brilliant idea:  I put a big dollop of strawberry curd on top of some plain Greek yogurt.  It tasted amazing.  It didn't even taste like strawberry yogurt; it tasted like strawberry CHEESECAKE.  What?!?

It was clear that this idea needed to be explored.  However, due to feeling a bit lazy, I decided to explore without turning on the oven.  Thus, these strawberry swirl cheesecake bars were born.

(At the last minute, I added chocolate ganache to the top.  I didn't put it in the name because No-Bake Strawberry Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Bars seemed like to much of a mouthful.  The chocolate definitely adds to the appeal, but its flavor doesn't overwhelm the strawberry.)

If you are into frozen cheesecake, you can totally freeze these.  After multiple taste tests, I decided I have a slight preference for the non-frozen, but well-chilled, variety.

Ingredients (makes 12-16 bars):

For the crust:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

8 ounces Neufchatel cheese (or use cream cheese)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used full-fat, but 2% or 0% would probably work)
Seeds from half a vanilla bean
2/3 cup powdered sugar

For the topping:

1/3 cup strawberry curd
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon milk or cream

To make the crust, grind the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped.  Mix with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.  Add the melted butter and stir to combine.  Press the crust into an even layer in the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.  Beat on high speed until smooth.  Dollop the filling on top of the crust and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.

To make the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate with the oil and milk and stir until smooth (you can microwave it in 20 second intervals).

Dollop the strawberry curd and chocolate ganache on top of the filling.  Using a knife, swirl the toppings into the filling.

Refrigerate or freeze for at least an hour, then cut into squares and serve.