These are gooey, intensely chocolatey with a hint of coffee. The cheesecake swirls are laced with salted caramel but both they and the caramel are optional. The brownies function just as well without them but I think the creamy cheesecake adds an extra 'wow' factor.
3heaped tbsp caramel - store-bought or homemadeoptional
1small 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!