Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

What better way to start off the weekend than with brownies? As promised a recipe involving cream cheese and pumpkin, pumpkin cheesecake brownies. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
For the Brownies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate chips
1  cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla  extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan, line with parchment if desired.

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour and salt then sift in the cocoa powder and whisk to incorporate, set aside until needed.

Set a pot of water on the stove and heat until simmering. In a large bowl combine the chocolate chips, butter, and espresso powder, set bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Turn off the heat but leave bowl over the water and stir in the sugars. Once the sugars are completely incorporated remove the bowl from the pot. Note the mixture should be at room temperature.

Add 3 of the eggs and whisk until combined, then add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Stir in the vanilla, be careful not to over beat the batter.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, until a just a few specks of the flour mixture remain visible. Set batter aside until needed.

Brownie recipe slightly adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

For the Pumpkin Cheesecake:
8 ounces (1 package) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Scrape bowl then beat in the pumpkin puree, mix until fully incorporated. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed.

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking

Assembly:
Pour about 3/4 (does not need to be exact) of the brownie batter into the prepared 9 x 13 inch pan. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula. Pour the all of the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the brownie batter and smooth with the offset spatula. Drop the remaining brownie batter in dollops over the cheesecake batter. Spread the brownie batter around a bit with the offset spatula. Using a pairing knife, toothpick, or butter knife swirl the cheesecake and top brownie layers together. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting. Once cooled, you can chill the brownies in the refrigerator for about an hour which will make them easier to cut.

Junior Mint Brownies

This recipe comes from one of my favorite holiday cookbooks, The Pastry Queen Christmas by Rebecca Rather and Alison Oresman. I have found so many wonderful recipes in this cookbook, and these minty brownies are one of my absolute favorites. I really like this recipe because it is simple and produces a wonderfully moist and fudgy brownie. These brownies are quite rich so I would suggest cutting them into small bite-sized pieces which I found to be the perfect size for serving, especially at holiday parties.

Junior Mint Brownies 
1 cup Unsalted Butter
6 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (use at least 60% cocoa)
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons Vanilla
4 packages Junior Mints (1.84 ounces each)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray, line with parchment paper then spray parchment with baking spray. In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and chocolate chips just until melted. Once melted remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Then in another bowl mix together the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the egg mixture to the cooled chocolate and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan smooth the top then arrange the Junior Mints in even rows across the top of the batter, making rows of 10 down and 8 across. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until edges pull away from sides and center is set. Cool brownies in pan then freeze uncovered for about an hour to make the brownies easy to cut.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen Christmas 

Peanut Butter Brownies

D loves anything that involves chocolate and peanut butter, but oddly enough I have never made a chocolate and peanut butter dessert. I decided to remedy that with these peanut butter brownies.

Brownies
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour, scooped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
 1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper slightly hanging over the sides so brownies can easily be removed. Melt the butter, peanut butter, and chocolate in a sauce pan over low heat. Once melted, set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla then beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and the salt then add it to the chocolate mixture and beat until well incorporated.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow brownies to cool in pan for a few minutes. Then holding the sides of the parchment paper, carefully remove the brownies from the pan and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup peanut butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy whip

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the butter and peanut butter. Add the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated then add the heavy whip and beat about another minute or two.

Once brownies have cooled top with the peanut butter frosting and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.

Brownies can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

These brownies taste best when served at room temperature.

Cherry Chocolate Brownies

This week, Baking Me will be full of Valentine's Day treats! First up, Cherry Chocolate Brownies. These brownies are quite rich and best enjoyed with a glass of milk.

Ingredients

Brownies
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 Large eggs
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 Teaspoon salt
- 3/4 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Cup sugar

Cherry Buttercream
- 1/3 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk
- 1/4 Teaspoon imitation cherry extract
- 1/4 Teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Frosting
12 Ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup powdered sugar
3/4 Teaspoon vanilla
1/2 Teaspoon imitation cherry extract
1/4 Cup unsalted butter
1/3 Cup whole milk

To Make the Brownies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper hanging slightly over the sides (this makes it easier to remove the brownies from the pan).
Melt the butter and the chocolate together in a small sauce pan over low heat. Once melted remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the chocolate mixture once it has cooled.
Whisk together the flour and salt then add to the chocolate mixture and mix well.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

When brownies are done remove from pan and cool on a wire rack, leaving the parchment paper under the brownies.

To Make the Cherry Buttercream
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until well mixed. Then add the milk and extracts and beat well. Spread evenly over the cooled brownies and refrigerate to allow frosting to set, about 20-30 minutes.

To Make the Chocolate Frosting

In a small sauce pan heat butter and milk over medium heat until butter has melted. Pour butter mixture over chocolate and allow to sit for five minutes. Then add the extracts and stir until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer, add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the cherry buttercream, just enough to cover. There will be chocolate frosting left over. Refrigerate leftovers to reserve for another use, such as dipping fruit or pouring over ice cream.

Once chocolate frosting has been spread over buttercream refrigerate for one hour to allow frosting to set. Cut brownies as desired.

These brownies taste best at room temperature.