Cookie Dough and Cheesecake Brownies

My love for chocolate has been declared here already many times. I also told that I’m on an ongoing quest for the best chocolate cake in the world. This weekend I finally had time to bake, so I wanted to fix us something of chocolate. This recipe I found from Bakers Royale (yes, there is a link but somehow the blog refuses to highlight it) sounded too good, and too decadent to be true. So of course I had to give it a try. Even though my former brownie experiments have been less successful, usually because of too much sugar, too long baking time and a dry result, or something else. This was also the first time I prepared cookie dough! I’m fond of Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream, and this cookie dough recipe I used (from Cupcake Project) was almost as good as that. 

Don’t be afraid of the seemingly many steps of this recipe.It’s actually super simple and quick to do. The original recipe said the ingredients are enough for a brownie pan sized 8x8 inches. I didn’t have one, so I made this in a round springform pan (diameter 22cm). Worked fine, even though you can’t cut all the pieces into squares but rather cut it like a cake. The other time I used this brownie recipe and made it in a bigger rectangular pan, I doubled the ingredient amounts. It’s recommended as otherwise your brownies end up looking like a pancake.

.

Decadent Cookie Dough and Cheesecake Brownies

For the cookie dough:

100g butter, melted

250ml brown sugar (I used muscovado which gave a slightly coffee-like flavor to the dough)

100ml caster sugar

4 tablespoons milk

500ml all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I left this out)

pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together into a smooth dough (add the flour in the end). Add in chocolate chips, cacao nibs etc. if you like.

For the cheesecake mixture:

225g Philadelphia creme cheese

50ml caster sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whisk together all the ingredients until silky in texture.

For the brownie mixture:

100g + one tablespoon butter

125g bittersweet chocolate

100ml caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I left this out)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large eggs

125ml all-purpose flour

Chop the chocolate and butter and place them in a metal bowl over boiling water (bain marie). Stir frequently until the mixture has melted. Remove from the heat and mix in sugar, vanilla and salt. Let cool.

Using an electric mixer, mix the eggs one at the time into the chocolate mixture. When incorporated, mix in the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until the dough is shiny and smooth, about one minute.

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Grease your brownie (or other) pan with butter. Pour 3/4 of the brownie mixture into the pan. Cover with a layer of the cheesecake mixture and distribute evenly using a knife. Sprinkle crumbled cookie dough on top of the cheesecake layer and top with rest of the brownie mix.

Use a knife or a fork and drag it through all the layers as many times as it requires to create beautiful swirls on the top. Bake for about 30 minutes. The brownie should be fudgy and the cheesecake creamy.

Enjoy!