B & W Cheesecake Brownies

I pulled this recipe out when I was looking for another baking recipe to fill out my Christmas baking this year, and was pleasantly surprised with the result. I don't usually make cheesecake (and can't pretend I have here), simply because it's not my favourite type of dessert. However, these were pretty great. It is a good recipe if you want to bake a brownie that's just a little different, and if you're sort of craving cheesecake.

B&W Cheesecake Brownies

Makes 1 large pan

Ingredients:

Butter, for greasing

2 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup softened butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup icing sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, and line it with parchment or wax paper. Grease the paper as well.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla to this, followed by the flour mixture.
3. Reserve 1/2 - 3/4 cup of this dough in the refrigerator. Press the remaining dough into the prepared dish and chill for 30 minutes (chilling is optional). Bake this base until set, and slightly puffed - about 25 minutes. Let cool.
4. Mix the remaining ingredients: cream cheese, icing sugar, 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla in a medium bowl. Spread over the cooled brownie base. Crumble the reserved dough on top, or perhaps roll it out into little shapes and put them on top - whatever suits your fancy! Bake this until the cheesecake filling is set: 25-30 minutes. Let cool, and lift out to cut into appx. 24 squares.