Cheesecake Brownies

If you've never married cheesecake with brownies before, then this is your sign! My perfect Cheesecake Brownies are so fudgy and moist, and combine two of my favorite desserts in one. My recipe starts with a fudgy chocolate brownie batter and then you swirl in creamy and dense New York-style vanilla cheesecake batter and the two mixtures bake gently together in perfect harmony for the most luxurious smooth and sticky texture. They are easy to make and very, incredibly, really, really delicious. I also love that these are not too sweet. If you are a brownie purist, be sure to check out my classic, perfectly fudgy Shiny Crust Fudge Brownies.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Fudgy chocolate brownies - the brownie base has such a rich fudgy texture and intense chocolate flavor thanks to bittersweet chocolate and not a lot of flour.
• Creamy vanilla cheesecake - the vanilla cheesecake batter bakes up into a velvety texture and it is dense and creamy like a New York style cheesecake. The sweet, tangy, creamy notes really pair well against the bittersweet chocolate.
• Simple ingredients - this recipe requires few simple ingredients and is very easy to prepare.
• Layers of brownie and cheesecake - my method of swirling the brownie batter with cheesecake creates layers to make these brownies as pretty as they are delicious. It wasn't just a matter of adding cheesecake to my current brownie recipe and calling it a day. I wanted to ensure that the two batters cooked at the same rate without sacrificing the texture of either of them. Adding a cheesecake layer to a full brownie recipe would create more volume in the pan and thus take longer to bake. In that case the cheesecake would overbake by the time the brownies have set. So, you'd either get creamy cheesecake and raw brownie or dry cheesecake and fudgy brownie. This recipe ensures that neither component is sacrificed.
• Not too sweet - even though there is brownie and cheesecake, this recipe is not too sweet because I have modified the proportions.
• Shiny top brownies - the brownie swirl through the cheesecake on top is glossy and shiny so it looks very impressive!
• Neat slices - the way this brownie sets with the cheesecake layer means it slices neatly so they look like something you would buy at a bakery shop!

INGREDIENTS FOR CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

• Butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe, but if you use salted, then reduce the added salt by half.
• Dark chocolate - anything between 60 and 70% cocoa solids will work. I prefer Bittersweet Chocolate and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient.
• Egg - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies and 1 additional egg will set the cheesecake.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar is best for these brownies and for the cheesecake. I do not recommend substituting with brown sugar because brown sugar has a coarser texture and it will be more difficult for it to dissolve to make the shiny top.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate and is the main flavor in the cheesecake. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
• Cocoa powder - just 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder will bump up the chocolate taste in the brownies and also replace some of the structural function of flour for a super fudgy texture. You can use natural cocoa or Dutch Process cocoa powder in this recipe. It won't make much of a difference.
• Cream cheese - you will need brick cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content.
• Sour cream - it creates a really smooth and creamy texture. Without it the cheesecake is more dense like New York-style cheesecake and this is also delicious, but I do like the creaminess it lends and it also prevents the cheesecake layer from drying out by the time the brownie is finished baking.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: How to make Cheesecake Brownies

• STEP 1). Make the cheesecake batter. Blend cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until very smooth glossy. Mix in egg and sour cream until well incorporated and set aside.
• STEP 2). Make the brownie batter. First, melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted, or you can do this gently in the microwave with frequent stirring after 20 second bursts so it doesn't burn. You want the chocolate to be very warm at this stage - don't worry, it will not cook the eggs.
• STEP 3). Mix eggs and sugar. Combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl and whisk or mix with an electric hand mixer until pale and thick. Mix in warm melted chocolate mixture.
• STEP 4). Add flour. Whisk together flour and cocoa powder and sprinkle it over the surface and fold it in until evenly combined. Reserve about ⅓ cup (80ml) of brownie batter and then spread the rest evenly into prepared pan.
• STEP 5). Swirl. Spread the cheesecake batter evenly over the brownie layer in the pan, then dollop teaspoons of reserved brownie batter randomly over top of the cheesecake layer. Swirl it in with a knife to create a marbled effect.
• STEP 6). Bake. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce reduce oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes until puffed and the cheesecake is set in the middle with lightly golden edges. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing with a hot dry knife.
• STEP 7). Cool. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. After 10 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides and then remove sides of pan. Let cake cool completely and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

• Keep the chocolate and butter hot. There is no need to cool the chocolate mixture before adding the eggs. In fact, a warm batter will help the sugar dissolve for a nice shiny top.
• Always use room temperature eggs so that they incorporate more evenly and the warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie. For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
• Use soft cream cheese. Cream cheese at room temperature will blend more evenly with the sugar and eggs for a smooth batter. If the batter is lumpy, then the cheesecake will not be as silky.
• Bake gently. Reduce the oven temperature after the first 15 minutes so that the brownies bake more evenly. Since there are two batters baking in the same pan, it is important to control the temperature a bit more to ensure that the cheesecake doesn't over-cook by the time the brownies are done.
• Do not over-bake. Start checking after a total of 25 minutes. A toothpick should not come out clean - it will come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean it may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then it is still a bit raw.
• Cool completely. For the best texture, it is important that the brownies cool completely so that the cheesecake sets.

RECIPE FAQ

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