Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

These ooey gooey Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are the bees knees! Thick and fudgy festively red chocolate brownies with a tangy swirl of cheesecake.

Brownie Troubleshooting:

• Use the correct size tin. I always recommend using a 9×9″ square tin for the thickest, fudgiest brownies. Using a larger sized tin will alter the size and baking time of the brownie.
• Most brownie recipes tell you to use the highest quality chocolate you can afford but I always use a supermarket budget brand. Tesco Miss Molly chocolate is my favourite but you can use any brand you like. Use a minimum of 50% cocoa soilds.
• Make sure your eggs and sugar are mixed together thoroughly. If they’re streaky it will effect the bake.
• All ovens are different! I can’t stress this one enough. I get so many messages about brownies not being ready after the recommended baking time is up. 30 minutes is usually the optimal time but sometimes they’ll need a little bit more or less. Just keep a close eye on them after 25 minutes and remove from the oven when the edges are set and there is a slight wobble in the centre.
• Bring your ingredients to room temperature before you begin.
• Do not, and this is a biggie, over mix your brownies once you add the flour. Over mixing will overwork the gluten and will result in cakey brownies. Unless you prefer cakey brownies, then have at it. Each to their own.
• Most recipes call for a bain marie (a glass or ceramic bowl set over a pan of simmering water). I’m a lazy girl and if I can cut a corner with no noticeable repercussions, you best bet I’ll do it. I simply heat my butter and chocolate together right in the saucepan (you can use the microwave too). As long as you keep it on a low heat and keep stirring, you’ll be fine with this method.

Here’s what you’re going to need for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies:

• Unsalted Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start, this makes blending the sugar much easier.
• Caster Sugar – Also called superfine sugar.
• Eggs – Always large, always free range!
• Plain Flour – Sometimes called All Purpose flour.
• Plain Chocolate – Always plain, never milk!
• Cream Cheese – Use full fat, the low fat variety has too much water content.
• Vanilla Extract – Use the best quality you can afford.

Tips for making Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies:

• Can I use milk chocolate in the brownie layer? – In short, no! Milk chocolate is far too sweet and your brownie will come out super gross. Always use plain chocolate when making brownies. You can use a 70% solid chocolate if you’re not keen on the higher percentages but I wouldn’t recommend going any lower than that.
• Can I freeze these brownies? – Yes! You can freeze the whole tray or individual brownies wrapped in a double layer of cling film for up to 3 months. Just defrost at room temperature.
• Can I make them Gluten Free? – Yes, just use Doves Plain Flour Blend. It’s the best I’ve used for baking.
• How long will these bad boys last? – Pop the cut brownies in an airtight Tupperware container and keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Can I use ingredients straight from the fridge? – You can but it’s best to use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure everything mixes together well and will create the best results.
• How can I make sure my brownies look neat? – Firstly make sure you’ve chilled your brownies in the fridge, cold brownies cut much more easily than room temperature. Secondly, wipe your knife between each cut. Clean blades make for clean cut brownies.
• Do I have to let them chill over night? – No, you can eat them as soon as they’re cold but they wont have the same dense, fudgy texture as the ones in the photographs.
• Can I use a boxed brownie mix? – Yes, of course you can. Just follow the box instructions and add the cheesecake swirl as per the recipe below.
• Can I use low fat cream cheese? – NO! Sorry to be blunt but the low fat versions contain more water than full fat which is released when you whisk the cheesecake making it runny and yucky.

More Brownie Recipes:

Triple Chocolate Brownies // Witches Brew Brownies // Kinder Bueno Slutty Brownies // Millionaires Brownies // Mint Fudge Stuffed Brownies // Kinder Brownies // Banoffee Brownies

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