Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

In researching Valentine treats to make, I found this red velvet cheesecake brownie recipe. This recipe is decadent and rich just like a brownie should be.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie Layer
1/2 cup butter
2 oz dark chocolate (coarsely chopped)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp red food coloring (red)
2/3 cup all purpose flour

Cheesecake Layer
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1 large egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven 350F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly butter.

Making the Brownie Layer
In a heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir with a fork until very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food coloring. Add in the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Batter should be red. Add flour and salt into the bowl and stir until everything is just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.

Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer

Preparing the Cheesecake Layer
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Drop in dollops onto prepared brownie batter. Gently swirl two batters with a butter knife.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are set. A knife inserted into the cheesecake mixture should come out clean and the edges will be lightly browned. Cool in the pan completely before slicing and serving, either at room temp or chilled.

It's a great Valentine's Treat to make.