double chocolate cheesecake with salted caramel sauce

For those who love chocolate...and cheesecake...and caramel...this recipe is truly, seriously good.

Double chocolate cheesecake
Adapted from Anna & Michael Olson Cook at Home

Brownie layer:
 
1 cup butter
1 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.

Melt the butter and pour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the cocoa, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and whisk until blended. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for about 18-20 minutes or just until the brownie is set in the middle. Let cool completely before adding cheesecake layer.


Cheesecake layer:

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 packages of cream cheese (250g each), at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream

Melt the chocolate, either in a double boiler (bowl set over pan of simmering water) or in the microwave (watch it carefully). Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until well blended.  Pour in the whipping cream and beat on high speed until thickened. Pour in the melted chocolate and quickly mix until thoroughly blended. Pour cheesecake filling on top of the cooled brownie layer. Chill in the fridge at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and drizzle with Salted Caramel Sauce.

Salted Caramel Sauce

adapted from Simply Recipes

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

6 tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

sea salt, to taste (optional)

Get all the ingredients ready before you start. This will be quick! In a 3-quart pot, over medium-high heat, melt sugar with 1/2 cup water. Don't stir it. Let it come to a boil, and let it keep on boiling until you begin to see it turning brown. It might turn brown in spots; that's okay. Don't stir it. You can gently swirl the pot to prevent any possible burning. 

As soon as the sugar has all turned brown, add the butter and stir. Remove from the heat. Pour in the cream, stirring carefully - the mixture will bubble up quite a bit. Stir in the vanilla and the salt, if you like. Pour into a glass container or jar. Caramel will thicken as it cools. Keeps in the fridge for a week or two.