Tuesdays with Dorie: Espresso Cheesecake Brownies

September 1, 2009 at 1:15 am | Posted in cookies & bars, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 49 Comments

espresso cheesecake brownies

My taste in brownies is usually pretty plain.  Lots of chocolate and some walnuts– that’s pretty much all I need.  I’ve never even had a cheesecake brownie…at least not until Melissa of Life in a Peanut Shell chose Espresso Cheesecake Brownies for TWD.   Espresso and chocolate are a winning combo, so I was game to give the recipe a shot (in half-recipe form, baked in a loaf pan).

The brownie layer was pretty standard.  My cheesecake batter was super-loose, though, and I was a little nervous that it wouldn’t set-up.  I wasn’t able to swirl the extra brownie batter into it, so I just plopped bits on (hence the leopard-print spots) and crossed my fingers as it went into the oven.  Success!  The heat did it’s trick, and everything cooked up fine.

I decided at first to go without Dorie’s suggested sour cream topping for the brownies, but after eating them the first night, I thought they needed more chocolate pop.  So the second night, I topped the remaining pieces with a chocolate sour cream topping.  Not bad, not bat at all.

For the recipe, see Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, or read Life in a Peanut Shell.  Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!

49 Comments »

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  1. Roses R Red's avatar

    My gosh, these brownies look like theyre to die for!

  2. Meeta's avatar

    ooohh! yes i like this recipe a lot have made it a few times! yummy!

  3. natalia's avatar

    I love the chocolate topping !!!

  4. Romaine of www.salad-in-a-jar.com's avatar

    I’m thinking that chocolate topping looks good enough to eat by itself. My experience with the swirling was the same as yours on my first try.

  5. nina's avatar

    You and “Dorie” are a lethal combination……I pick up weight just visiting this site!!!

  6. Cakelaw's avatar

    Chocolate sour cream topping – now that sounds good! Your brownies look so decadent as a result.

  7. Amanda's avatar

    Wow those look gorgeous, you really did a nice job! I’m glad they worked out for you, weren’t really a fave here 😛

  8. isabelle's avatar

    un glaçage au chocolat ! on reconnait les gourmandes 🙂
    c’est très réussi !

  9. Sathya's avatar

    Yum. I miss chocolate. As always, looks and sounds lovely. Are you still doing DB challenges? TWD seems like its much more fun. Hope all is well 🙂

    • steph (whisk/spoon)'s avatar

      hi sathya!! great to hear from you! i’m still doing the DBs, too, (although i had to sit out the last couple)…and, in fact, i’m hosting this month!

  10. Spike's avatar

    Chocolate sour cream, so smart!

  11. VeggieGirl's avatar

    So fudgy!! Love it.

    Glad that the cheesecake layer ended up “cooperating” and that all was successful 🙂

  12. vibi's avatar

    Darn! I should have thought of that… chocolate on top. Yet, I was really happy with the sour cream and sugar discovery… I’d have ot on toast now that I know it! LOL

    Very pretty bars, Steph!

  13. Jamie's avatar

    I’m plotzing that looks so devilishly delish! Oh wow!

  14. Michelle's avatar

    Yum your chocolate frosting looks great. The frosting was my favorite part! This was a great recipe!! I will make them again.

  15. Mary Ann's avatar

    Beautiful as always! Love the chocolate topping and spots of brownie in the cheesecake!

  16. Lauryn's avatar

    Wowsers! That chocolate topping looks incredible!! And I LOVE the “leopard spots!” Your brownies look delicious!

  17. Eliana's avatar

    I like the look of your chocolate topping. Looks super tastey!

  18. Valerie Catrice's avatar

    Great idea to add chocolate to the sour cream! They look wonderful. 🙂

  19. Sihan's avatar

    that’s a pretty amazing side view. and of course that chocolate ganache layer looks darn good! well done.

  20. Kim's avatar

    Your brownie looks yummy. I think the chocolate sour cream frosting sounds much better than the sour cream and powdered sugar. The spots are just as fun as the swirls.

  21. teaandscones's avatar

    OH!!! Those look divine. And adding chocolate to the topping is hit on.

  22. Wendy's avatar

    Ooh…I think the chocolate sour cream was the way to go with these. They look great!

  23. Madam Chow's avatar

    Beautiful swirls – I forgot to do that. And I agree that the chocolate needed more pop, but I attributed that to my using the wrong chocolate.

  24. Amber Marie's avatar

    wow – chocolate sour cream topping! definitely different, and sounds like it did the trick in adding the little something. Great pic!

  25. rose's avatar

    Ooooohhhhhh yummy. Cheesecake? Brownie? Espresso!? SOLD! i ❤ it!

  26. food librarian's avatar

    Just lovely! Excellent photos of this pretty dessert. I really like your icing! Yum.

  27. Kayte's avatar

    Guys would love all this chocolate…it looks very pretty with those layers like you have them.

  28. Erin's avatar

    Great idea with the chocolate sour cream topping! Looks fabulous!

  29. Danielle's avatar

    your brownies look amazing!

  30. Tammy's avatar

    Yours always looks so perfect!!! that loks just wonderful and i think the chocolate topping was the way to go!

  31. Jules's avatar

    Nice chocolate glaze! Yum!

  32. Cecille's avatar

    Love the chocolate sour cream frosting!

  33. Ashley's avatar

    This is quite the tempting little treat! All good things made in to one… heaven!

  34. Jodie's avatar

    How was the chocolate sour cream? I didn’t think the plain sour cream was very good. Yours look much better!

  35. Teanna's avatar

    Chocolate sour cream?!?!! You are brilliant!!! That looks sooooooo good!

  36. Ulrike's avatar

    That looks great, I have to admit we liked the plain sour cream

  37. tia's avatar

    your marbling looks divine!

  38. Rachel's avatar

    YOUR chocolate sour cream topping looks way better than mine. I guess I should have added more chocolate.

  39. Sarah's avatar

    Ooh, chocolate sour cream sounds amazing. I went with a chocolate topping as well, though mine was a ganache.

  40. theeclecticconnoisseur's avatar

    Mmm..wish I’d thought to do a chocolate sour cream topping. Sounds wonderful!

  41. Heather B's avatar

    delicious! Great job on your brownies!

  42. Amy Ruth's avatar

    I love your “outside of the box” espresso cheesecake brownies. Agreed….good quality dark choco/walnuts/ooey gooey is my all time fav as well. Love the choco topping- think that would be way better. never enough chocolate right? I think my kids liked them alright. Thanks for a great tip!
    AmyRuth

  43. Margot's avatar

    Chocolate sour cream topping? What a brilliant idea, they were not the most chocolaty brownie.

  44. Jaime's avatar

    chocolate sour cream?! genius!

  45. Lillian's avatar

    I went with chocolate sour cream too, but your brownies look so much prettier than mine!

  46. bridget's avatar

    I thought the cheesecake batter was too liquidy too! It baked up just fine, but I wonder if leaving out an egg would make it easier to swirl? Not that there’s anything wrong with leopard spots. I really love the idea of a chocolate sour cream topping.

  47. Julia @ Mélanger's avatar

    This looks unbelievably rich. Though, in saying that, I could eat that whole slice above. Great choice on the chocolate sour cream frosting. There is nothing like too much chocolate. Doesn’t exist! 🙂

  48. Tracey's avatar

    Chocolate sour cream?? Now there’s a great idea! Love it. Your brownies are gorgeous – such tall layers!


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