raspberry cheesecake truffle brownies

We are going for an early dinner to friends tonight. I wanted something easy. I originally was entertaining the idea of making a log (like a buche de noel type thing) yet when I got home yesterday from our day of football, soccer, Hebrew school and soccer party, I changed my clothes, crawled into bed and threw the covers over me. I woke up an hour later, refreshed.

However, not refreshed enough to challenge myself with a huge project. Instead, I did something safe, something easy! Cheesecake bars. Always a winner, always makes a crowd happy.

I found this recipe in a Cuisine at Home Holiday Baking Magazine. A lot of the recipes look pretty good (I have a pistachio pinwheel dough in the fridge right now). This one looked too good to pass up.

These are scary good! The raspberry makes this dessert! I am making them again as I left the entire tray for our friends to enjoy!

ingredients:

for the brownies:

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1 stick butter, cubed

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 cup flour

for the topping:

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

zest of one lemon

juice of 1/2 lemon

pinch of salt

1 egg

1 cup fresh raspberry

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350*. Line an 8" baking pan with non stick spray. Next time I would use a 9" pan, I like a thinner brownie.

2. Melt chocolate, butter, cocoa & espresso powder in bowl over simmering water. Remove bowl from from heat and add sugar, vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until smooth.

3. Fold in flour. Spread batter in to prepared pan.

4. Use mixer and blend cream cheese, 1/4 sugar, zest, lemon juice & pinch of salt. Mix until smooth. Add egg.

5. Spread on unbaked brownie mixture. Sprinkle raspberries on top.

6. bake until cheesecake is set and golden on edges. When toothpick is inserted it will be a little gooey. Bake about an hour. Cool to room temp. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 8 hours.

7. Dust with powdered sugar before eating.