Brownie Cheescake

I got this recipe off of one of my favorite blogs Smitten Kitchen. This recipe is a little involved but not that bad at all! Plus I got to use my brand NEW Cuisinart stand mixer. The only thing with this recipe is that I didn't make my own crust, because Chris was making ribs and needed the oven, so I bought an already made one. Next time I will definitely make my own, it's just not the same! I'm going to post the recipe though as you would be making your own crust. I'm also going to post this one a little differently. I'm going to post it into steps.





First Step:
One Bowl Brownies

Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
(1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

Directions:
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil.
3)Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted.
4)Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
5)Stir in sugar.
6)Blend in eggs and vanilla.
7)Add flour and salt; mix well.
8)Spread into prepared pan.
9)Bake 30 to 35 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over bake.
10) Cool in pan on wire rack.
11) Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles.
12) Cool brownies, then cut them into 3/4- to 1-inch squares for use in the cheesecake.
13) Add about half of the brownies to the mix or how many you would like.

Part Two:
Crust

Ingredients:
1/2 cups finely ground cookies such as chocolate wafers, or Chocolate Teddy Grahams.
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1)Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan.
2)Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

Part Three:
Cheesecake

Ingredients:
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Beat cream cheese with an mixer until fluffy.
3) Add eggs, one at a time.
4) Add vanilla and sugar, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.
5) Fold brownie cubes in very gently and pour mixture into prepared pan.
6) Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan.
7) Pour filling into crust and bake in baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 45 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.

Part Four:
Ganache Glaze

Ingredients:
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, broken up, or 1/2 cup chocolate morsels
2 oz. butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

Directions:
1) Grind the chocolate into powder in the food processor.
2) Scald the butter and cream in a saucepan.
3) With the machine running, pour the hot cream/butter mixture slowly through the feed tube onto the chocolate.
4) Blend until completely smooth, stopping machine to scrape down sides once or twice.
5) Add the extract and sugar and process until smooth.
6) Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still warm.
7) Chill until ready to serve.