Day 108 (6.27.12): Going Cow Crazy for Chunky Cheesecake Brownies

Chunky Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

These are absolute winners. Cheesecake and brownies in one luscious bite really can't get any better--I brought this to my students today as part of a writing exercise (yes, you read that right!) and they disappeared faster than a Disapparating wiz. So if you want a real magic trick, pop these bad babies in the oven and then watch them disappear the second they're out!

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
2. Combine cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 egg in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth. Stir 1 cup chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture (I prefer to stir mine into the brownie batter or leave it out altogether). Set aside.
3. Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off, and set a heatproof mixing bowl over the water. In the mixing bowl, combine butter with the remaining cup of chocolate chips; stir until just melted and blended together. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 eggs, then sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into chocolate until evenly blended.
4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer. Top with remaining chocolate mixture (this doesn't need to completely cover the cream cheese layer). Using a knife, swirl the top chocolate layer into the cream cheese to make a marble pattern.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is crinkled and edges pull away from sides of the pan. Cool thoroughly. Cut into 12 to 16 squares. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Day 84 (5.31.12): White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Status: Homemade

Satisfaction: 10

If you are going to make something decadent for your next get-together, make this it. As you can see from the photo, it didn't even last long enough for me to get a proper whole picture of it. (Actually, I made the fairly dumb mistake of letting my springform pan, er, spring out before it set, with the result that the second half collapsed...but nobody needs to know that. Or if you do, I'll bribe you with cheesecake pops to keep quiet. Shhh!)

But really. Looking for simple (less than 15 minutes of prep!) and scrumdiddly in one? Pre-made jam and ingredients you're almost sure to have at home makes this one a keeper!

Recipe below the cut!

Day 73 (5.19.12): Creamy Dreamy Ganache-Draped Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake--Mind (And Taste Buds) Blown!

Creamy Dreamy Ganache-Draped Cheesecake Ice Cream Cake

Status: Homemade!

Satisfaction: Wait and see (I'll post the updates as soon as this baby gets cut open on Sunday!)

I'm not always a terribly consistent decorator--or at least, my creations start out looking freakily Frankensteinian when they first start off. Take this cheesecake-ice cream cake combo, for instance: If I had taken pictures of the amounts of melted ice cream and dripping ganache I had to wade through before I even got the final (and considerably ridged) ganache dam wall on to hold in the ice cream, you all would be drowning, too. In pictures, I mean. And those aren't nearly as fun as drowning in ice cream and/or chocolate. Maybe part of it has to do with the fact that I never learn from my mistakes because a) I'm theory smart--application isn't a requirement for graduate students, and b) I never really like making the same thing twice if I can help it. Experiments are just more fun.

Speaking of experiments and dissection--okay, yes, it's a stretch analogy, but here's the breakdown of this gorgeous (inside is what counts!) cake:

Start with an OREO Cookie Crumb Crust

Top that with Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake

Adorn that with an generous layer of Your Favorite Ice Cream

And then drape the whole damn thing in Luscious Chocolate Ganache

Decorate the heck out of it. And do a better job than I did.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. I haven't tried it yet, but from the various, er, taste-tests I did on the component parts of it, I'm declaring this one mind--and taste buds--blown.

Check out the recipe below!

Day 72: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Status: Homemade

Satisfaction: 10+!

Should I even try and explain what's happening in this sinful amalgamation?

1. Light Cinnamon-y Crust

2. Creamy Cheesecake Filling

3. Chocolate Chip Cookies

= This is so good, it should probably be illegal. In fact, it probably is.

I started with a cinnamon graham cracker crust (classic cheesecake base!) and worked my way into the fluffy cheesecake layer while the crust was baking. Then--since we've got to get in the best of all worlds here--I topped it with a chocolate chip cookie dough strudel-esque topping (egg-free! Just in case you're tempted to eat it before it goes in the baking pan...not that I'm speaking from personal experience or anything). So essentially, you're biting into a grahamcrackercrustcheesecakefilledchocolatechipcookiebar. 

Try saying that ten times fast. Or better yet, close your mouth (which, I'm sure, is expending copious amounts of saliva) and try this recipe (below the cut)!