These sweet little neopolitan-style brownies are absolutely delicious with layers of rich chocolate brownie, tangy baked vanilla cheesecake and roasted strawberry cream. This recipe has been adapted from one of my all-time favourite recipes from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook which features their signature Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie. Berries, cream cheese and chocolate – it’s the perfect combo, need I say more? Do yourself a favour and make sure these heavenly brownies make their way onto your dessert table this spring!
Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie
Yield 25 brownies
These sweet little neopolitan-style brownies are absolutely delicious with layers of rich chocolate brownie, tangy baked vanilla cheesecake and roasted strawberry cream.
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownie
- 200g good-quality dark chocolate, melted
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 250g icing sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 110g plain flour, sifted
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Vanilla Cheesecake
- 400g cream cheese, softened
- 150g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Roasted Strawberry Cream
- 300g fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced + 200g extra, finely diced to decorate
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 120g icing sugar
- 300ml double cream (~45% fat)
Instructions
Chocolate Brownie
- Preheat oven to 170°C and line a deep 23cm (9”) square baking pan with greaseproof paper.
- Beat butter and sugar in free-standing mixer with paddle attachment until light and creamy, then add eggs one by one, scraping between each addition until well combined.
- Beat in sifted flour and salt on low speed, then pour in melted chocolate and beat on low speed until smooth. Take care not to overmix.
- Pour brownie batter into prepared baking pan, ensuring a smooth surface.
Vanilla Cheesecake
- Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed in a free-standing mixer with paddle attachment until smooth and thick, taking care not to overmix as the cream cheese can split.
- Beat in eggs one by one, scraping the bowl between each addition, until light and creamy.
- Gentle pour over the brownie batter in the prepared pan, ensuring a smooth surface.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until light golden on the edges. The centre should remain pale and be just firm to the touch with a slight wobble. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate to set for 2-3 hours.
Roasted Strawberry Cream
- Preheat oven to 180°C and line a medium baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Toss sliced strawberries with zest, ½ the juice, vanilla and 20g of sugar then roast in baking tray in a single layer for 40-45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes to prevent the strawberries or juices from burning. They are done when they appear darker in colour, deeper in flavour and drier in texture.
- Allow to cool, then process finely, adding remaining lemon juice as needed to achieve a smooth roasted strawberry puree.
- Gently whisk together strawberry puree, cream and remaining sugar by hand, taking care not to overmix or the cream will split.
- Cover cheesecake brownie with the roasted strawberry cream, smoothing the surface with a palatte knife, then refrigerate overnight to set.
To serve
- Using a clean warm sharp knife, trim the brownie edges off (perfect for snacking on while cutting up neat little pieces!).
- Slice the brownie into 25 portions (5 x 5) and decorate with diced strawberry pieces. Serve chilled and keep cool in the fridge if not eaten immediately.
Enjoy!
You may also like:
Earl Grey + Salted Caramel Brownies
White Chocolate and Strawberry Mini Cheesecakes with Blood Orange Syrup
Strawberry Hibiscus & Coconut Cake
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