Ghirardelli Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Actually, it is a Ghirardelli recipe but I'm sharing 

Crust:
2 cups crushed graham crackers

1/2 cup sweet ground cocoa 

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tbsp granulated sugar 


Cheesecake Layer:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temp

2 ounces chopped milk chocolate
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crushed graham crackers, ground  cocoa, butter, and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Press into a 13x9 pan and bake for 8 minutes, transfer to wire rack and cool completely. 


In large bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar, peanut butter, and flour at low speed. Add eggs, one at a time while mixing. Add vanilla and milk. Pour cheesecake mixture into pan and bake for 40 minutes or until set. It will "puff up" a bit, but will settle after cooling completely. 


Melt chocolate and vegetable shortening in double broiler stirring until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate over the cooled cheesecake layer. Chill for 10 minutes, chocolate layer should be slightly set, score the chocolate with a sharp knife into 2 inch squares. Return pan to refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes, cut bars, serve, and eat! 

If you have a food processor use it! I hand crushed my graham crackers and well it just made it a little crunchier. The cheesecake is firm after 30 minutes, but I thought it tasted better after about 2 hours, the peanut butter taste really comes out then!