Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

These brownies were made for the adorable Rachel Mac Cann who threw an epic summer BBQ last Friday.

And for your own personal enjoyment, here's the recipe. Get baking!

AVOCA'S INSTRUCTIONS:

BROWNIE LAYER:

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

200g unsalted butter

250g caster sugar

4 eggs

110g plain flour

Melt the chocolate and allow to cool a little.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Continue to whisk adding eggs and flour gradually. Stir in the melted, partially cooled chocolate. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a 22 x 22 x 8cm tin. Be sure to grease it first. 

FOR THE CHEESECAKE TOPPING:

400g cream cheese

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

1 drop of vanilla essence

120g raspberries

Whisk cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Spread ontop of brownie mixture. Sprinkle raspberries over the top. 

Cook @ gas mark 2, 150C for 45 mins.

MODIFICATIONS:

The suggested amount of raspberries delivers only one or ocassionally two raspberries per slice. I reccomend using half again as much.

It is vital not to get frustrated with the low heat and resultant long cooking time required. 45 minutes as suggested was not sufficient for the brownies to cook through. Whatever you do DO NOT up the heat in quest of a quick result as this will undoubtedly result in a burnt cheescake layer and a soggy uncooked brownie one. Be patient! Don't forget to preheat your oven try cooking just the brownie layer for ten minutes before you add the topping in order to give it a little head start and prevent a soggy base to your little gems.

Instead of 100g 70% solids chocolate I used 50g 70% and 50g dairy milk. The recipie is a rich one, a brownie recipe calling for four eggs and no rising agent is unquestionably going to be dense, no point making it too rich also or it would be unenjoyable. 

There is no way one drop of vanilla essence is enough, the taste would be utterly overcome by that of the cream cheese. Use one teaspoon instead. 

PHOTO CREDITS:

First two photos courtesy of Mr Ross McSherry, check some of his stuff out here: http://picasaweb.google.com/rossmcsherry

Nat

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