Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

For the Brownie base
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 300 gms coarsely chopped quality semi-sweet chocolate
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large room temperature eggs
• 2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur or 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• ½ cup+2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. Cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. Instant coffee powder
• ¼ tsp. Salt
For the Cheesecake Layer
• 8 oz (224 gm) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Make the Brownie batter- Begin by melting the butter in the microwave. Immediately add the chopped chocolate.Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. If any bits of chocolate remain, you can pop the bowl back in the microwave for 20 second increments. Keep stirring in between. Once melted and smooth, allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C or 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch square baking pan with foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the brownies out of the pan when cool. Set aside.
3. Whisk the sugar into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla or Bailey’s if using. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, coffee and salt. Set aside.
4. Make the Cheesecake batter- In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Finally fold in the white chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Set aside.
5. Spread the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Scoop out around 4 tablespoons of the brownie batter and set aside. Top with all of the cheesecake batter. Spread this in a thick layer and as to cover the brownie batter evenly. Drop the reserved brownie batter in dollops over the top of the cheesecake layer.Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together — don’t overdo it or the colors will get muddled.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan.A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on them after 35 minutes and use the toothpick test to see when yours are finished. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The cheesecake layer must be cold before cutting into squares. Once chilled, lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares.