My obsession with red and white baking continues. I just can’t seem to get enough of how pretty it looks. Intellectually I know that chocolate is brown, and cochineal beetles are red, but it doesn’t seem to stop me wanting to make red velvet. Today, Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie.
I have a weekly supply deal with a local shopkeeper, and have to come up with new cake each week which can be served in small portions, perfect for a little bite with a cup of coffee or while wandering around the store. Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie fits the bill really well – its pretty, delicious, nicely dense, and very satisfying. I can imagine it going gangbusters at a cocktail party, festive BBQ or a morning or afternoon tea. Because it’s not crumbly, it would also make amazing picnic dessert.
If you don’t like the sound of the beetles after all, just leave out the food colouring. It will still be really pretty, and taste just as good.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie
makes 36 x 2cm cubes
Red Velvet Brownie
ingredients
125g cultured butter, melted
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp red gel food colouring (or more as desired)
mixing
Line a 20cm square tin with a single sheet of bake paper which has been folded to fit the tin, like half a wrapped present. Combine the butter, cocoa and sugar. Add the eggs and stir until smooth. Add the flour, and stir until smooth. Colour to a dark burgundy colour with the food colouring. Pour the mixture into the tin and place in the freezer to firm up slightly while you prepare the cheesecake mixture (recipe below).
Vanilla Cheesecake
ingredients
300g cream cheese, softened
220g (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
mixing
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, beat until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla, beat until smooth and creamy.
Spoon the cheesecake mixture carefully over the brownie mixture, and spread out to as even a layer as you can manage. To create the marbling effect, using a teaspoon, dig through both mixtures and twist the spoon to push cheesecake to the bottom and lift brownie to the top. Repeat over the whole surface.
Run a skewer up and down through the mixture to create a feather and fan ripple effect.
Bake the cheesecake brownie at 170 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes or until set. Cool in the tin, then refrigerate until cold. Trim the sides to reveal nice marbled edges, then cut into squares as desired.
Enjoy!xxx
