Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp natural cocoa powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 210 g powdered sugar
• 3 large eggs (Room temperature)
• salt (A pinch)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1.5 tsp gel red food coloring
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 0.75 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 0.333 cup semisweet chocolate (Chopped)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (For the brownie layer)
• 8 oz cream cheese (Room temperature)
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (For the cheesecake layer)
• 2 tbsp sour cream (Room temperature)
• 1 large egg (Room temperature; for the cheesecake layer)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-by-8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Prepare the cheesecake layer first. In a mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese, egg, vanilla extract, sour cream, cornstarch, and granulated sugar until completely smooth. Set aside.

3. 3

   Prepare the browned butter. Place the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir every 10 seconds. Continue until the butter turns golden brown.

4. 4

   Transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl.

5. 5

   Add the cocoa powder, olive oil, vanilla extract, chopped semisweet chocolate, vinegar, and red food coloring to the browned butter. Mix until combined, then let the mixture cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

6. 6

   In a separate bowl, whisk the three eggs and light brown sugar for 4–6 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and pale.

7. 7

   Add the powdered sugar to the egg mixture and mix for 1–2 minutes, until fully combined.

8. 8

   Combine the egg mixture with the cooled browned-butter mixture and mix until evenly combined.

9. 9

   Add the flour and semisweet chocolate chips to the brownie batter. Mix only until just combined, taking care not to overmix.

10. 10

    Transfer half of the brownie batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

11. 11

    Reserve 30 g, or approximately 2–3 tablespoons, of the cheesecake mixture. Add the remaining cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer.

12. 12

    Top with the remaining brownie batter, then add the reserved cheesecake mixture. Make swirls through the top layers.

13. 13

    Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is slightly fudgy.

14. 14

    Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Notes

The source does not specify the exact amount or type of grease for the pan. Reserve the stated 30 g (approximately 2–3 tablespoons) of cheesecake mixture for the swirl. The recipe does not specify a cooling duration beyond cooling completely before cutting.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• brownies
• red velvet
• cheesecake
• baked
• chocolate
• vegetarian