Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake

This recipe is from the LCBO (liquor control board of Ontario). Their recipes are wonderful and easy. The book is free and is available 6 times a year at the liquor store.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• brownie layer

• 1  cup unsalted butter
• 1  cup cocoa powder
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 4  large eggs, at room temperature
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• cheesecake layer

• 14  Oreo cookies
• 6  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whipping cream

Directions

1. For brownie layer preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9" springform cake pan and line bottom and sides with parchment paper.
3. Melt butter and pour into a large bowl.
4. Sift cocoa into butter and stir in sugar.
5. Add eggs to mixture, blending well after each addition.
6. Stir in vanilla.
7. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. (do not sift).
8. Add to cocoa mixture and blend gently.
9. Pour into pan and bake 35 minutes.
10. Cool completely before filling.
11. For cheesecake layer, lay 8 Oreo cookies in a circle on cooled brownie layer.
12. Melt chocolate. (I use the microwave instead of over water).
13. Beat cream cheese until fluffy using electric beater.
14. Slowly add sugar while mixing and beat in vanilla.
15. Pour the whipping cream in and whip on high speed until mixture becomes firm and holds a peak.
16. Add chocolate and blend quickly.
17. Pour this onto brownie base, spread and cool for 2 hours before slicing.
18. Garnish with Oreo cookies cut in half and placed on cake.