Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
Photo: Renee Comet
I think cheesecake and brownies rank high on most people's list of favorite desserts, so why not combine the two? Just to send this brownie over the top, I added ripples of fresh raspberry sauce to the cheesecake layer.
Makes 12 large squares, or 24 smaller bars
For the raspberry sauce:1 (6-ounce) container raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
For the brownie batter: Vegetable shortening for pan
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup and 1 Tbsp. cake flour
3/4 cup and 2 Tbsp. Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
For the cheesecake layer: 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. bleached all-purpose flour
To make the raspberry sauce, combine the raspberries, sugar and cornstarch in a 1-quart saucier or saucepan. Cover the pan tightly and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula until the sugar dissolves, 8 to10 minutes. Increase the heat to high and boil (uncovered) until the juices are thick and clear, stirring constantly with the spatula, about 2 minutes. Push the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the berries with the spatula; discard the seeds. Let sit at room temperature while making the brownie slab.
To make the brownies, adjust an oven rack to the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil in the pan.
Cut the butter sticks into 1-inch slices. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter pieces over the lowest setting; add the bittersweet chocolate chips. Stir with a small whisk until combined and the chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the burner while proceeding with the recipe.
Using a large whisk, lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Place the sugar and salt in a separate small mixing bowl, then whisk into the eggs just until incorporated. Briefly whisk the melted chocolate mixture, then gradually whisk into the egg mixture until just combined. Briefly whisk in the vanilla.
Place the flour and cocoa powder in the small mixing bowl; whisk together to combine. Sift through a medium strainer directly onto the batter; stir in with a silicone spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Bake for 22 minutes; while the brownie slab is in the oven, prepare the cheesecake layer.
To make the cheesecake layer, place the cream cheese, sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat together until well combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla and egg. Beat on medium speed just until combined, then beat in the flour. Set aside.
After the brownie slab has baked for 22 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the cheesecake layer over the brownie layer. Use a small offset spatula to spread the batter evenly to the edges.
Place a resealable plastic sandwich bag inside a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup, with the edges of the bag hanging over the sides of the cup. Pour the raspberry sauce into the plastic bag and seal. Snip a very small corner (about 1/8 inch) off of one side of the bottom of the bag. Slowly pipe parallel horizontal stripes of the raspberry sauce evenly over the cheesecake batter. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly pull the sauce back and forth through the cheesecake batter to create a rippled pattern. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the top is slightly puffed and the cheesecake layer is set when the pan is gently jiggled. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate the pan for 7 to 8 hours, or overnight. Lift out and cut; serve.
From Extreme Brownies: 50 Recipes for the Most Over-the-Top Treats Ever by Connie Weis/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2014.
Makes 12 large squares, or 24 smaller bars
Ingredients
For the raspberry sauce:
For the brownie batter:
For the cheesecake layer:
Directions
To make the raspberry sauce, combine the raspberries, sugar and cornstarch in a 1-quart saucier or saucepan. Cover the pan tightly and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula until the sugar dissolves, 8 to10 minutes. Increase the heat to high and boil (uncovered) until the juices are thick and clear, stirring constantly with the spatula, about 2 minutes. Push the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the berries with the spatula; discard the seeds. Let sit at room temperature while making the brownie slab.
To make the brownies, adjust an oven rack to the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil in the pan.
Cut the butter sticks into 1-inch slices. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter pieces over the lowest setting; add the bittersweet chocolate chips. Stir with a small whisk until combined and the chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the burner while proceeding with the recipe.
Using a large whisk, lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Place the sugar and salt in a separate small mixing bowl, then whisk into the eggs just until incorporated. Briefly whisk the melted chocolate mixture, then gradually whisk into the egg mixture until just combined. Briefly whisk in the vanilla.
Place the flour and cocoa powder in the small mixing bowl; whisk together to combine. Sift through a medium strainer directly onto the batter; stir in with a silicone spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Bake for 22 minutes; while the brownie slab is in the oven, prepare the cheesecake layer.
To make the cheesecake layer, place the cream cheese, sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat together until well combined. Add the sour cream, vanilla and egg. Beat on medium speed just until combined, then beat in the flour. Set aside.
After the brownie slab has baked for 22 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the cheesecake layer over the brownie layer. Use a small offset spatula to spread the batter evenly to the edges.
Place a resealable plastic sandwich bag inside a 1-cup Pyrex measuring cup, with the edges of the bag hanging over the sides of the cup. Pour the raspberry sauce into the plastic bag and seal. Snip a very small corner (about 1/8 inch) off of one side of the bottom of the bag. Slowly pipe parallel horizontal stripes of the raspberry sauce evenly over the cheesecake batter. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly pull the sauce back and forth through the cheesecake batter to create a rippled pattern. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, until the top is slightly puffed and the cheesecake layer is set when the pan is gently jiggled. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate the pan for 7 to 8 hours, or overnight. Lift out and cut; serve.
From Extreme Brownies: 50 Recipes for the Most Over-the-Top Treats Ever by Connie Weis/Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2014.
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