Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies - A Random Recipe

When it came to my blog I got all out of kilter in July and August due to some lovely weekends away and a long holiday.   September has been a bit like going back to school for me and the routine has returned.  With that return to more normal weekends has been the chance to see what blogging challenges September has brought.  Dom over at Belleau 'spanking brand new' Kitchen (and very nice it is too!) set us the task this month of sifting through any saved recipe cuttings and picking one to make for his Random Recipe Challenge.  I love this idea - I am a serial magazine recipe snipper.  As a consequence I have recipes shoved in the front of books, in the magazine rack and in my 'to do' pile, all waiting to be tried out. If they make the grade they then get written or stuck in my actual recipe folder.  It wasn't hard to randomly select one and this ridiculously rich brownie recipe was the one I found. I think it is from an old copy of Sunday Times Style which was featuring recipes from the Green & Black's cookbook but I'm not 100% sure as I don't have the full article. I've been meaning to make this brownie recipe for ages, mainly because it looked so sinful on the picture. It is very puddingy in the respect I think it would be better eaten as dessert rather than with a cup of tea.  It tastes as decadent as it looks.  A little goes a very long way (probably on the hips too....).

The Recipe

For the brownie:

280g unsalted butter (yes more than one block of butter, sinful I told you)

170g dark chocolate (70% cocoa at least)

350g golden caster sugar (sinful again)

70g plain flour

pinch of salt

5 eggs

2 tspn vanilla extract

100g white chocolate, broken into small pieces

For the cheesecake:

350g cream cheese (I used 300g as that's what size the large tubs come in)

75g golden caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

170g fresh raspberries (I used one punnet)

1. Heat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4.  Grease and line a 20cm square tin.

2.  Make the brownie mixture by melting the butter and chocolate (microwave is fine and easy).  Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, pour over the cooled chocolate and mix until smooth. Beat the eggs separately before adding to the mixing bowl along with the vanilla extract and the while chocolate.  Blend together until the mixture is shiny.  Pour into the prepared tin.

3.  Make the cheesecake mixture by whisking the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and eggs until smooth and creamy.  Pour this over the brownie mix, trying to create an even layer.  Drop the raspberries into the tray.  Use a fork to swirl the mixture for a marbled effect.  

4. Bake for about 45 mins. The brownies should be set but still wobbly.  Leave to cool.

Chocolate & Pecan Brownies

While typing this I'm eating the most amazing Date & Banana Cake from the lovely Blackbird Bakery. It's one of those cakes that tastes quite healthy even though you know it really isn't at all. The Blackbird sells the most delicious homemade breads, cakes and tarts - everywhere should have one. Anyway, back to my recipe....

Although I love baking I've never made brownies which is a bit odd considering how many I've eaten over the years. So I thought it was about time I did make some! This recipe comes from a magazine - I've no idea which one - I tore it out years ago and its been sat in my 'recipes to make' pile since. The original recipe is for chocolate only brownies but I've added the pecans as they're my favourite nuts.

I've linked this recipe to the Sweets for Saturday challenge hosted by Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies.

The Recipe

200g plain chocolate (I used Lindt 70% cocoa)

200g unsalted butter

4 eggs, beaten

300g light muscovado sugar

100g plain flour

small bag pecan nuts, broken

1. Preheat oven to 170c/gas mark 3. Line a 20cm sq shallow cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, then add the butter. Set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring from time to time until melted.

3. Stir in the eggs and sugar, then sift over the flour and fold in followed by the pecans. Spoon the mixture into the tin.

4. Bake for 30 mins until just set. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins, then cut into rectangles.