Blondie cheesecake

Ingredients

Blondie

• Vegetable oil spray, for greasing
• 110 g unsalted butter, melted
• 180 g brown sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp bicarbonate soda
• 130 g plain flour
• 60 g good-quality gold caramel chocolate

Cheesecake

• Vegetable oil spray, for greasing
• 230 g good-quality gold caramel chocolate
• 300 g cream cheese block, room temperature and cubed
• 80 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 150 g sour cream
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 170 ml thickened cream

Finishing

• 2 punnets fresh strawberries
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. For the blondie: Heat the oven to 170°C, fan forced.
2. Grease and line the base of a springform tin, 22 cm in diameter.
3. Place the melted butter and brown sugar into a bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk to incorporate.
4. Add the baking powder, bicarbonate soda, flour and a pinch of salt and fold through. Lastly, add the chocolate and fold through until evenly distributed.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and spread into an even layer.
6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a skewer is inserted and comes out clean. Allow to cool at room temperature.
7. For the cheesecake: Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan forced).
8. Once the blondie base has cooled, remove the outer ring of the springform tin. Grease and line the ring before reattaching it to the base.
9. Melt the chocolate over an induction cooktop, then set aside but keep it warm.
10. Place the room temperature cream cheese, sugar and vanilla bean paste into the bowl and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.
11. In a separate bowl, whisk to break up the whole eggs and egg yolks.
12. Gradually add the egg to the cream cheese mixture and continue to mix on low speed until completely incorporated.
13. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream together with the thickened cream until smooth, then add to the cream cheese mixture. Lastly, add the warm melted chocolate and mix to incorporate.
14. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared tin on top of the blondie base.
15. Bake in the pre-heated oven for approximately 60 minutes, until the cheesecake feels firm but still wobbles in the centre when gently shaken.
16. Allow to cool completely at room temperature before removing the springform ring and baking paper from around the sides.
17. Place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours to chill.
18. To serve, garnish with fresh strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar.