With everyone home on Family Day (February 15, 2016), a holiday here in Canada, I wanted to make something special for my two sons. They love brownies and cheesecake so I decided to combine the two into these yummy bars. The minute they saw the bars on the platter, they commented that the bars looked "so good" and on tasting them, said they were "amazing". A slice of heaven with the combination of fudgy brownie and creamy cheesecake topped with raspberry heart swirls.
These bars are baked in a 9" x 13" baking dish lined and greased with aluminum foil. The usual graham cracker crust in a cheesecake recipe is replaced with a mixture of brownie at the bottom. Baked, cooled and then covered with cheesecake batter that is decorated with swirls. It is baked again directly in the oven without the water bath for the second time so that the cheesecake mixture sets. Cooled and then refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight. Cut into rectangular bars and served as dessert or during tea time. A yummy and memorable delight with the best of two sweet treats combined into one. Heart swirls on top are definitely eye-catching, making these bars tempting and irresistible.
These bars are baked in a 9" x 13" baking dish lined and greased with aluminum foil. The usual graham cracker crust in a cheesecake recipe is replaced with a mixture of brownie at the bottom. Baked, cooled and then covered with cheesecake batter that is decorated with swirls. It is baked again directly in the oven without the water bath for the second time so that the cheesecake mixture sets. Cooled and then refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight. Cut into rectangular bars and served as dessert or during tea time. A yummy and memorable delight with the best of two sweet treats combined into one. Heart swirls on top are definitely eye-catching, making these bars tempting and irresistible.
Brownie Cheesecake Bars
(Yields 24)
Brownie Layer
Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Method:
Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a heatproof bowl, add chocolate chips, butter and melt, set over a saucepan of simmering water (not boiling). Set aside to cool.
Sift dry ingredients; flour and baking soda.
With an electric beater, beat the eggs and sugar well. Stir in the chocolate mixture followed by vanilla extract and dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake till the top is set and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out with some crumbs attached, around 15 minutes. Cool completely.
Raspberry Topping
Ingredients:
3 cups raspberries fresh or frozen (thawed)
2 teaspoons sugar
Method:
Heat raspberries with sugar till soft and pulpy. Strain through a fine sieve. Cool and pour in a squeeze bottle. Keep aside.
Cheesecake Layer
Ingredients:
375 gms full-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
300 ml full-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon of orange or lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or maida
Method:
Ensure that cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 300 F or 150 C and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle position.
Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the cream cheese at moderate speed till smooth and with no lumps. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Then add the eggs, one at a time followed by the flour, sour cream, vanilla extract and orange or lemon zest. Do not overbeat and incorporate too much air or else the cake will rise and crack. Pour filling over the brownie layer.
Top cake with strained raspberry puree piping circles on top of the cheesecake batter. Using a wooden skewer, create heart swirls. Wipe skewer with a paper towel after each swirl. For a continuous round of hearts, do not lift the skewer till you complete the entire row.
Bake directly in the oven without a water bath for 20 minutes till the cake is set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. (Do not test cake with a toothpick.) Cool cake completely in the baking dish before refrigerating.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
When ready to serve, lift the aluminum foil out of the baking dish and place on a cutting board.
Dip a smooth long knife in hot water, wipe dry with paper towel and slice lengthwise into 6 strips. Then each strip into 4 square bars. Warm knife and wipe dry before each cut. (For rectangular bars, the yield will be less than 24.)
Note:
(Yields 24)
Brownie Layer
Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Method:
Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a heatproof bowl, add chocolate chips, butter and melt, set over a saucepan of simmering water (not boiling). Set aside to cool.
Sift dry ingredients; flour and baking soda.
With an electric beater, beat the eggs and sugar well. Stir in the chocolate mixture followed by vanilla extract and dry ingredients. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake till the top is set and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out with some crumbs attached, around 15 minutes. Cool completely.
Raspberry Topping
Ingredients:
3 cups raspberries fresh or frozen (thawed)
2 teaspoons sugar
Method:
Heat raspberries with sugar till soft and pulpy. Strain through a fine sieve. Cool and pour in a squeeze bottle. Keep aside.
Cheesecake Layer
Ingredients:
375 gms full-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
300 ml full-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon of orange or lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all purpose flour or maida
Method:
Ensure that cream cheese, eggs and sour cream are at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 300 F or 150 C and ensure that the oven rack is in the middle position.
Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the cream cheese at moderate speed till smooth and with no lumps. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Then add the eggs, one at a time followed by the flour, sour cream, vanilla extract and orange or lemon zest. Do not overbeat and incorporate too much air or else the cake will rise and crack. Pour filling over the brownie layer.
Top cake with strained raspberry puree piping circles on top of the cheesecake batter. Using a wooden skewer, create heart swirls. Wipe skewer with a paper towel after each swirl. For a continuous round of hearts, do not lift the skewer till you complete the entire row.
Bake directly in the oven without a water bath for 20 minutes till the cake is set all around with a slight jiggle in the centre. (Do not test cake with a toothpick.) Cool cake completely in the baking dish before refrigerating.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
When ready to serve, lift the aluminum foil out of the baking dish and place on a cutting board.
Dip a smooth long knife in hot water, wipe dry with paper towel and slice lengthwise into 6 strips. Then each strip into 4 square bars. Warm knife and wipe dry before each cut. (For rectangular bars, the yield will be less than 24.)
Note:
- To learn how to make raspberry swirls, view slideshow at the following link: http://www.celebrationinmykitchen.com/cheesecake-with-raspberry-hearts/
