Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Jessica Marsden is a baker with one very sweet tooth, and has been kind enough to share her expertise with the Let’s Knit community. Her quirky Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are guaranteed to go down a treat (or a trick) with your knitting group: they taste scrumptious, and look absolutely divine.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Makes: 12 large/16 small
Prepare: 20-30 minutes
Cook: 27-30 minutes

Ingredients:
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g 70% dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
225g caster sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
150g self-raising flour

For the pumpkin cheesecake:
200g full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
75g caster sugar
30g self-raising flour
120ml pumpkin purée
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350F/Gas 4 (reduce for fan ovens). Lightly grease/base line a 23cm square tin.

Make the brownie mixture by gently melting the butter and dark chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, leave on the side to cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Add the cooled chocolate and butter mix, and sift in the flour. Fold the ingredients together with a large wooden spoon until completely combined. The brownie mix should appear thick, dark and glossy.

In another bowl, make your pumpkin cheesecake by beating together cream cheese and sugar. Add the pumpkin purée and beat again. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, egg and beat one last time until mixture is creamy and smooth.

Pour 1/3 brownie mixture into your baking tin making sure it is evenly spread across the tin, and all of the corners have been filled. Evenly pour your pumpkin cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie mixture.

Use a large spoon to drop the remaining brownie mix in dollops over the cheesecake mixture. Draw the tip of a knife or a skewer through the two mixtures to form a swirled pattern. 

Bake for 27-30 minutes or until the top is starting to crack. Test the brownies by inserting a knife into the middle, if it comes out clean remove from the oven and leave to cool.

For more of Jessicas delicious recipes, head over to her website: www.jessiecakesdiary.com