The Truffle Cheesecake Brownie Swirl

My hiatus from I’d Rather Fall in Chocolate  is officially over, and I’m only too happy to break the fast with the amazing Truffle Cheesecake Brownies Swirl recipe. The original cheesecake brownie was a concoction created by a fellow baker and future psychologist extraordinaire, Ms. Persis Commissariat. Having quickly spotted a jewel of a dessert when I saw one, I begged for her recipe to share with all of you, and below is the product of this fabulous collaboration. Her recipe remains intact for the most part, with some suggestions for possible alterations interjected from me. For chocoholics everywhere – you can do no wrong with this one!

Raw Materials
1 package of dark chocolate brownie mix
(I used Trader Joe’s Truffle Brownie Mix with truffle morsels in the mix – cheap and delicious!)
1 or 2 8 oz packages of cream cheese – (see instructions below)
3 eggs
1/3 cup of sugar
1 stick of butter
Tools & Bakeware
2 mixing bowls
spatula
whisk
8″x 8″ or 13″ x 9″ baking tray 

What I did and what you should do given what I did:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Follow instructions on your box to make the brownie mix (add 2 eggs and 1 stick of melted butter). Alternatively, you can make your own “mix” from scratch using cocoa powder, dark chocolate or truffle chips, eggs, oil, and water. Pour prepared mix into your chosen baking tray (I used a 13×9 tray).

3. In a separate bowl, soften the cream cheese in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the remaining egg and mix. Add 1/3 cup of sugar and mix until well blended. *I found that doubling the cheese mixture for this particular recipe using the truffle mix may be a good idea. It adds a more balanced amount of “cheesecake” content to the brownie.*

4. Add the cream cheese mixture to brownie mix and swirl with a butter knife.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Voila! Garnish with a few ripe strawberries, and enjoy the handiwork. It’s the only moment you’ll get to see it before it’s devoured in minutes. Promise.

Bon Appetit!

Chocolate Flew Over the Cupid’s Nest: Part II

As promised, here’s the second portion of my holiday chocolate-palooza. ***Be forewarned, only small portions of this decadent dessert are advised. Anyone found to consume more than a 2 by 2 square may find themselves in a catatonic state due to a persistent sugar high.***

Recipe #2: Divine Peanut Butter Crispy Bars (courtesy of Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)

Raw Materials:
Crispy Crust
1.75 cups of crisped rice cereal
.25 cup of sugar
3 tbsps of light corn syrup
3 tbsps of unsalted butter

Milk chocolate peanut butter layer
5 oz of milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup of creamy peanut butter

Dark chocolate icing
3 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
.5 tsp of light corn syrup
4 tbsps (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Tools & Bakeware
8-in square pan (or round ~ why not?)
Metal bowl
Saucepan
Wooden spoon

What I did and what you should do given what I did:
Although the directions indicated to use an 8-in square baking pan, I ended up using a 9 inch round pan, because – well, that was what was available at the moment .  But, if you plan on making neat bars, a square pan is of course advisable.

What to do: Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of the pan, or you can also use a bit of butter instead. Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside. Put 1/4 cup water into a saucepan. Add the sugar and corn syrup to the pan and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture just until combined. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches 235 F on a candy thermometer (known as the soft-ball stage).

This is of course very useful if you have a candy thermometer…. but if you’re anything like me, candy thermometers aren’t just lying around. So how do you know when the mixture has reached this elusive stage? Good question. I found this video to be a HUGE help. You want the mixture to boil for several minutes, until it gets frothy with bubbles. Then, pour a few drops of the syrup into a bowl of cold water and swirl it gently with your finger. If it forms into a soft ball, then you’ve reached the right stage.

Once there, remove from the heat, stir in the melted butter and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour into the prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula or even the back of a spoon (I found this much more efficient), press the cereal mixture into the bottom of the pan only. Let cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

To make the milk chocolate-peanut butter layer: In a large metal bowl stir together the chocolate and peanut butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook until the mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

To make the dark chocolate layer: In a large  metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook until the mixture is completely smooth, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir to cool, as before. Pour the mixture over the cooled milk chocolate-peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer. I found simply tilting the pan to spread the chocolate around to be the best way of getting a smooth and even top surface. Put the pan in the refrigerator for another hour or until the topping hardens. And now, you’re ready to serve!

 

On behalf of Valentine,
Bon Appetit!