I’d fully intended to get this post up BEFORE Valentine’s Day, but… hey… life happens, right? So, consider this your post-Valentine’s Day/Valentine’s Week treat! (And I hope yours was fille with lots of LOVE!)
These cherry-cheesecake brownies are utterly decadent and a bite or two goes a long, long way. They’re melt-in-your mouth fudgy and OH so good. I’ve mixed them up a bit by incorporating a bit of goat cheese into the cheesecake topping – leaving just a little tang to offset the sweet of the cherries and the richness of the brownie base. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, sub in some more cream cheese for the goat cheese for a more classic flavor.
Cherry Cheesecake Brownies
(adapted from Just Best Recipes)
Cheesecake Topping
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 21-ounce can cherry pie filling
Brownie Base
1 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9″ baking pan with foil, letting ends extend a bit over sides. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the topping by beating together all topping ingredients except pie filling in a medium mixing bowl until blended and smooth. Set aside.
In a large microwavable mixing bowl, melt butter and chocolate on medium power for about 2 minutes, stopping to stir every 45 seconds. Heat until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt into melted chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring briskly after each egg until well-blended. Stir in flour until evenly incorporated.
Spoon brownie mixture into prepared baking pan and smooth out using a knife of offset spatula. Scatter alternating heaping tablespoons of cheesecake topping mixture and cherry pie filling on top of brownie batter. Run the tip of a clean knife through topping and pie filling to create a marbelized look.
Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until brownie edges begin to pull away from sides and edges of cream cheese are slightly brown. Note: the center will still “jiggle” when shaken even when the brownies are done.
Cool brownies in pan on wire rack. When cooled, chill for at least 4 hours before cutting.
After chilling, lift brownies from pan using the foil that lines the pan. Place on cutting board and cut into squares.
