In a restaurant the dessert menu gets looked at before anything else, and if I spot a cheesecake I will always make sure there's room for it. But I've found a recipe that beats all of the above, and would put most cheesecakes to shame. And its quite easy too. Cheesecake Brownies! Those of you with a sweet tooth may already have discovered these treats. I got the recipe from my sister a few months ago, and I tried it and liked it. Then promptly forgot about them. I recently rediscovered the recipe, did some tweaking and now I've made it three times in about 6 weeks. Its fabulous!
My tweaking?? Adding raspberry compote as a topping! The tartness of the berries just gives them that kick that I think they needed. And, for something with a name like "Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies" they're a lot easier than they sound.
Cheesecake Bit:
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- 1 egg
- 225g/8oz cream cheese
- 50g/2oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 115g/4oz dark choc (the higher the cocoa percentage, the better. I use 70%)
- 115g/4oz unsalted butter
- 150g/5oz light brown sugar
- 2 beaten eggs
- 50g/2oz plain flour
- Punnet of raspberries, washed
- Knob of butter
- 2 tbsps caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Preheat oven to 160 degrees (Celsius)
Compote Bit:
Make the compote first so it can cool. Melt a knob of butter in a pan over a low heat. Add sugar and vanilla and stir until sugar melts. Keep on a low heat so that the butter doesn't burn. Once melted add the washed raspberries and stir until fruit has softened. Basically you want a smushed mess that only resembles raspberries in colour. Take off heat and let cool.
Cheesecake Bit:
Beat the egg in a mixing bowl until frothy. Add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Put aside (in the fridge is best).
Brownie Bit:
Put the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl and melt over a saucepan of hot water on a low heat. Don't let the water touch the bowl; it's the heat from the steam that melts the chocolate and butter. If it gets too hot it could burn. Once totally melted and combined, remove from heat and let cool. Best to use a cloth when moving, the bowl will be hot!
Stir in the sugar until it's dissolved completely. Beat the eggs in a bowl or mug, and add into chocolate mix, a bit at a time. I tend to do three bits. Beat well after each addition.
Gently fold in the flour with a spoon. Folding is a slow, steady motion, using the back of the spoon to mix the flour into the batter. When flour is completely mixed in, spread over your tin.
Spread the cheesecake mix over the brownie mix and make sure to cover brownie mix completely. Take a few spoons of your raspberry compote and drizzle over the top of the cheesecake mix. Be as generous as you wish. I love the flavour of raspberries, so I put nice big dollops on top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. Leave to cool in tin, then cut into squares and enjoy!
Options: If you're not a fan of raspberries, you could save a little of the brownie mix and drizzle that on top. Or use a compote of a different berry? Or drop some chocolate chips in there? Would love to know what other people have tried.
Updates: Some of my terms seem to be confusing for people outside of my little island. So, for those not in the know:
Caster sugar is a very fine sugar, used primarily for baking. It is sold as 'Superfine' in the United States.
A 'knob' of butter is a small amount, round-a-bout a tablespoon.
A punnet is a plastic tub that fruit such as berries and grapes are sold in. Average weight of about 125 - 200 grams.
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