Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

I had come across David Lebovitz's recipe before and bookmarked this as something I would like to try. After all, who doesn't like swirling patterns in their batter? But I was happy with my brownies recipes and didn't think they could be improved on, and cheesecakes had always been - with a couple of exceptions - too rich for me to fancy. So I never got around to trying this recipe, and it languished in my "maybe-one-day" pile.

Well, who would have thought that this day would come? I had a block of cream cheese mooching around in my fridge for the past several months back from another baking project. When the Best-before date loomed closer and closer, I was reminded of this recipe. Although the last time i tried to swirl patterns in my brownies, it didn't turn out looking so well...

This time around, I was wiser, and the result was a little less promiscuous. I did singe the top of the cheesecake bits, but the effect was more visual than taste. 

This recipe combines two classic American desserts into a block of swirly happiness. It's simple to make too, with just two pots needed: one for the brownies mix, and another for the cheesecake mix. I prefer fudgey brownies with a crispy exterior, while this recipe made a more cake-y texture. But I'll take my brownies whenever I can get them.

Cheesecake Brownies
Adapted from Ready for Dessert (Ten Speed). Recipe by David Lebovitz, and can be found here. 

Makes one 9-inch (23cm) or 8-inch (20cm) square pan. For those of you who like higher brownies, use an 8-inch pan.

Now I'm home with a whole bunch of brownies, and the last 50g of leftover cream cheese continues to hang around my fridge annoying me. Damn. The next time I do this, I'll use the whole 250g block instead, and maybe increase the sugar to 90g.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (70g) flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips

8 ounces (200g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons (75g) sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract


Steps
1. Line a 9-inch (23cm) or 8-inch (20cm) square pan with foil, making sure it goes up all four sides. Use two sheets if necessary. Mist with non-stick spray or grease lightly. (Because of my lovely cake pan with a removable bottom, I skipped the alumium foil step, though I liberaaly brushed the sides and bottom with butter.)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180C).

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in the 2/3 cup (130g) sugar, then the eggs.

4. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then the vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

5. In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, 5 tablespoons (75g) of sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

6. Distribute the cream cheese mixture in eight dollops across the top of the brownie mixture, then take a dull knife or spatula and swirl the cream cheese mixture with the chocolate batter.

7. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the batter in the center of the pan feels just set.

Let cool, then lift out the foil and peel it away. Cut the brownies into squares.


Storage: These will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days. They also freeze well, too.