Red Velvet Cheesecake

1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist devil's food cake mix
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz) melted, cooled slightly
1/2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. red food coloring
3 eggs

Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy duty foil. Spray inside of pan with baking spray with flour. Reserve 1/4 cup cake mix for filling. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix and butter with electric mixer on low speed. Press in bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of pan.

In large bowl, beat reserved 1/4 cup cake mix, cream cheese, chocolate, sour cream, sugar and food color with electric mixture on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door 3 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Run small metal spatula around edge of pain; remove side of pan. Store covered in frigerator.

Serves 16.

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!

Sweet Cream Brownies

Cheesecake filling:
6 ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp irish cream 

Super Chewy Brownies: 
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa
1 and 1/2 tsp instant espresso
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 cup granualted sugar
1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chunked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and move oven rack to lowest position. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray, this will help you get the super chewy brownies out of the pan without crumbling them. Combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, egg, and irish cream and mix until smooth, set aside. 

Whisk together cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. While continually whisking, add in eggs, yolks, and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Add in sugar until completely mixed in. Slowly add in flour and salt, then chocolate chunks and mix with spatula until combined. 

Pour brownie batter into prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cheesecake filling into brownie mixture. Using a knife, swirl the brownie batter and cheese filling together. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until edges of brownies have browned. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Lift brownies out of pan and refrigerate till chilled. Cut brownies into however you can handle it and serve chilled.