Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake

This decadent and delightfully rich Julie Le Clerc dessert could be just what you are looking for when there is a special occasion to celebrate. This fabulous combination of luxurious Valrhona chocolate brownie base and creamy cheesecake top, pairs perfectly with a glass of Sichel Sauternes.

Serves 12

Brownie base:
100g Lewis Road Creamery butter, cubed
125g Valrhona chocolate fèves
200g caster sugar
2 small eggs, lightly beaten
50ml milk
75g Girolomoni organic ‘00’ flour or Sabato gluten-free flour
50g Valrhona cocoa powder, sifted

Cheesecake topping:
150g Valrhona Ivoire chocolate fèves
65ml cream
500g cream cheese, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 small eggs

To decorate:
50g Valrhona chocolate fèves, melted
freeze dried raspberries

For the brownie base, preheat oven to 160°C fan bake. Grease a 22cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Melt butter and chocolate in a pot set over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Stir in sugar and then eggs and milk. Add flour and cocoa and stir to just combine. Spread batter evenly into prepared tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven while preparing topping. Reduce oven temperature to 130°C fan bake.

For the topping, melt the Ivoire fèves with the cream and stir until smooth. Put the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sugar and vanilla then beat in melted chocolate. Lastly, beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing to just combine. Pour on top of the brownie base.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set but still a little wobbly in the centre. Remove from oven. Run a small sharp knife around the edge of the cake to loosen from the tin. Leave to cool before removing from the tin. Chill for a few hours or overnight before cutting into slices.

Serve drizzled with melted chocolate and scattered with freeze dried berries.

Recipe by Julie Le Clerc