The world is split into two camps. In one camp are those who blithely jump out of bed every morning eager to greet the new day. The other camp is inhabited by zombies who sleepwalk through the first few hours of the day, grumpily staring into the middle distance unable to do much other than grunt. I belong – very firmly – in the second camp. In fact the only thing that gets me out of bed (late, always late) is a freshly made cup of coffee that my husband prepares in order to entice me into the land of the living. The first cup of many.
I love coffee. I mean LOVE it. I don’t think I could function without it. Which is why I am very excited to partner up with Brown Bear to give Supergolden Bakes readers a chance to win their entire range of coffee, an AeroPress (an awesome portable coffee maker) plus their wonderful Luxury Hot Chocolate. Enter this fabulous giveaway via the Gleam entry form at bottom of this post (giveaway now closed).
The other great thing about coffee is that it pairs remarkably well with baked treats. Especially these espresso caramel cheesecake brownies. I have refrained from brownie recipes on this blog for one simple reason: the are DANGEROUS. Eat a tiny morsel and suddenly you are addicted and half the tray is gone. These particular brownies are so good I am pretty sure they ended the Cold War retroactively (I have been watching The Americans). Please proceed with caution and share responsibly.
Espresso cheesecake brownies
Ingredients
- 115 g | 1 stick unsalted butter cubed
- 100 g | 3.5oz milk chocolate minimum 30% cocoa
- 125 g | 4.5oz dark chocolate minimum 60% cocoa
- 100 g | 3.5oz caster sugar
- 100 g | 3.5oz light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 100 g | 3.5oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbsp espresso
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 80 g | 2.8oz milk chocolate chips
- ______
- 150 g | 5.3oz full fat cream cheese
- 80 g | 2.8oz icing powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 heaped tbsp caramel - store-bought or homemade optional
- 1 small egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C | 350F. Line a deep pan (11x7in) with baking paper letting the paper hang over the edges. You also can use a square pan (9x9in).
- Chop the two types of chocolate into small chunks. Place the chocolate and butter into a bowl.
- Bring a small pot of water to a rolling simmer and then turn heat off. Place a bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Let the butter and chocolate slowly melt, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
- Put the eggs and sugar in large bowl and use a hand whisk to mix together. Make sure there are no lumps of brown sugar lurking in there.
- Add a little of the melted chocolate into the eggs and gently whisk together. Gradually add all the chocolate and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso and salt into the chocolate and fold together with a spatula.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.
- Mix the cream cheese, flour, egg, icing sugar and caramel together until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese in three parallel lines across the length of the pan. Drag a knife across the cheesecake lines across the with of the pan to create swirls and gently mix the two batters.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or up to 40 depending on pan size. The brownies are ready when mostly firm on top with a slight 'give'. Test after 30 minutes – a skewer inserted in the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs attached but if batter is still too wet bake for a further 5 mins.
- Turn the oven off, open the door and pull tray part way out. Leave the brownies there until tray is cool enough to handle.
- Put the tray on a drying rack to cool completely. I know it is tempting to try the brownies now but please leave for an hour. They will be much easier to cut and less likely to fall apart.
- Lift the brownies out of the pan using the paper overhang and cut neatly into squares. You can drizzle with a little extra caramel if you want go completely over the top!
Laura Vitty says
Definitely a night owl, I'm most alert at night and am really not a morning person…
rugbymum says
Definitely a night owl. Unfortunately my kids are morning people 🙁
Ellen Stafford says
I am a nightowl I think x
Ellen Stafford says
I'm a bit of a nightowl I think 🙂
joanna_kow says
a night owl
Wendy Tolhurst says
Used to be a morning person but am much more of a night owl nowadays!
Gemma Snell says
a night owl 🙂
pauline black says
night owl for sure!!!
Gillian Hutchison says
night owl 🙂
jessica newman says
definately a night owl
Angela Williams says
a morning person
Zoe Coen says
night owl!!!! im like the walking dead on a morning lol x
Lani Nash says
A night owl!
Angela Paull says
Neither!! I'm whatever my toddler dictates I need to be at the moment (usually morning)
Allan Fullarton says
A night owl, definitely
Emma Davies says
Morning most definitely, much to my night owl husband's dismay
sheridarby says
I am a night owl, I love mornings in bed
Laura Murray says
I'm a night owl for sure – I'm a nightmare to wake up in the mornings and don't seem to come to life til after midday
Helen M says
Neith a morning person or a night owl! Best to catch me midday! LOL.
Samantha Freeman says
Morning definately, get everything out of the way early