Blackberry Cheesecake Brownies

Don’t knock it til’ you’ve tried them!

I have had multiple visits to the doctor’s the last several months and have had my fair share of flipping through decorating and food magazines. I “happened” to spot this crazy idea of using fruit in my baked cheesecake recipe, but then adding a layer of brownie too. It seemed crazy, odd, but spectacular all at the same time!
I tucked the nugget away and decided to give it a whirl. I did lots of research and googled blackberry cheesecake brownies and other recipes to develop something that sounded super yummy.

It is a bit more putsy of a recipe, but I am glad I stuck with it and finished this. I would have eaten the whole pan had it not been for a family from church and our sweet neighbors helping me to devour it. And, it wasn’t my children’s favorite, but that’s okay….some desserts remain adult treats! It was a perfect amount of chocolate with a bit of a berry taste too.

• 1 ½ sticks
  butter
• 3 oz.
  bittersweet chocolate
• 8 oz. Milk
  chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. plus
  2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c.
  cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp.
  salt
• 1/2 c.
  brown sugar
• 5 large
  eggs
• 1/2 c. plus
  1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2 8-oz.
  packages cream cheese
• 1/2 c. sour
  cream
• 1 tsp. pure
  vanilla extract
• 1 6-oz.
  package blackberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven
   to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan .
2. Make
   the brownie batter: In
   a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, bittersweet
   chocolate and 4 oz. Choc chips. In
   a medium bowl, sift together 3/4 cup flour, the cocoa powder and the
   salt.
3. In a large
   bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, 3 eggs and 1/2 cup granulated
   sugar. Add the flour mixture and the remaining chocolate chips and
   mix to combine. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
4. Make
   the cheesecake batter: Using
   an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, the remaining
   1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoon flour in a large bowl
   until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and remaining 2 eggs
   and beat to combine.
5. Spread half
   the brownie batter (about 2 cups) into the prepared pan. Spoon half
   the cheesecake mixture (about 1 3/4 cups) on top and gently spread
   it around. Top with the remaining brownie batter.
6. Crush the
   blackberries and swirl through the remaining cheesecake batter.
   Spread the blackberry cheesecake on top of the brownie batter. Bake
   until the top is just set, 60 to 70 minutes.