Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 60 g natural cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (For the brownie layer)
• 0.5 cup light brown sugar
• 1.75 cups powdered sugar
• 0.75 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 0.333 cup semi-sweet chocolate (Chopped)
• 3 large eggs (Room temperature; for the brownie layer)
• 60 g all-purpose flour
• salt (A pinch)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz cream cheese (Room temperature)
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar (For the cheesecake layer)
• 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)
• 1 lb strawberries (Washed, cut, and patted dry)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (For the roasted strawberries)

Steps

1. 1

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

2. 2

   Wash, cut, and pat the strawberries dry. Place them on a prepared baking sheet.

3. 3

   Drizzle the strawberries with the granulated sugar and lemon juice, then coat them evenly.

4. 4

   Bake the strawberries for 30–35 minutes, until tender and juicy. Set them aside to cool completely.

5. 5

   For the cheesecake layer, whisk the cream cheese, cornstarch, sour cream, egg, vanilla, and granulated sugar until smooth.

6. 6

   Add three-quarters of the cooled roasted strawberry mixture to the cheesecake mixture. Reserve the remaining roasted strawberries for the topping.

7. 7

   For the brownie layer, place the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and brown it. Continue until the milk solids sink and turn golden brown.

8. 8

   Transfer the browned butter to a bowl. Add the cocoa powder, olive oil, vanilla extract, and chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Mix until the chocolate has dissolved, then let the mixture cool at room temperature.

9. 9

   Whisk the three brownie-layer eggs with the light brown sugar for 4–6 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture becomes light and pale.

10. 10

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

11. 11

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

12. 12

    Add the flour, chocolate chips, and salt. Mix only until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

13. 13

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

14. 14

    Reserve 2–3 tablespoons of the cheesecake mixture. Add the remaining cheesecake mixture over the brownie layer.

15. 15

    Top the cheesecake layer with the remaining brownie batter.

16. 16

    Add the reserved cheesecake mixture and the reserved roasted strawberries over the top. Make swirls through the layers.

17. 17

    Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is slightly fudgy.

18. 18

    Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

Notes

The source does not specify the cooling duration or the exact amount of pan grease. The brownies should be fully cooled before cutting, as stated in the source.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• brownies
• baked
• chocolate
• cheesecake
• strawberries
• vegetarian