Description
Delight your loved ones with these luscious Heart Shaped Brownies featuring a rich chocolate base swirled with creamy cheesecake and topped with a vibrant raspberry sauce. Perfectly moist and rich, these brownies combine the deep flavors of cocoa with tangy cheesecake and sweet raspberry for a beautifully decadent dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Raspberry Sauce
- 1 cup raspberries (fresh or thawed frozen)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Brownie Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend)
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil or neutral oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
- Make the Raspberry Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine raspberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Set aside the smooth raspberry sauce to cool.
- Prepare the Cheesecake Mixture: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and ⅓ cup sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, then continue beating until the mixture is well combined and silky.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sifted Dutch-process cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients for Brownie Batter: In another bowl, mix the coconut oil (or neutral oil), 1 ½ cups sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to incorporate fully.
- Combine Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture and mix until just blended, being careful not to overmix to maintain tender brownies.
- Assemble the Brownies: Line a baking pan with parchment paper and spread the brownie batter evenly across the bottom. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top. Spoon the raspberry sauce over the cheesecake layer and use a skewer or knife to gently swirl the raspberry sauce into the cheesecake for a marbled effect.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the layered brownies for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool and Chill: Allow the brownies to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set and firm up the cheesecake and raspberry layers.
- Serve: Once chilled, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the brownies into 9 heart shapes. Serve chilled for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use room-temperature cream cheese and eggs to ensure smooth mixtures and prevent lumps.
- Straining the raspberry sauce removes seeds for a smoother dessert experience.
- Chilling the brownies thoroughly before cutting helps maintain the shape and texture of the hearts.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 heart-shaped brownie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
