Strawberry Chocolate Brownie Cheescake

This is a variation on a slice from The Hummingbird Bakery.  It's lovely on a sunny day with a cold glass of something.  The strawberry's really help cut through the rich chocolate base so it's not too sickly sweet and means it's easier to have that second slice.  The Hummingbird Bakery use raspberries I think which are possibly a little sharper but just as good.

INGREDIENTS

BROWNIE BASE

100g Dark Chocolate

100g Margarine

130g Icing Sugar

2 Eggs

60g Plain Flour

CHEESECAKE
200g Cream Cheese
80g Icing Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Paste
1 Egg

STRAWBERRY TOPPING
150ml Double Cream
50g Icing Sugar
80g Chopped Strawberry's plus more to decorate

Heat the oven to 170 C

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and leave to cool slightly.  Mix the remaining brownie ingredients till well combined, I use my freestanding mixer - my beloved Kitchen Aid in launderette yellow.  Now add the melted chocolate, resisting the urge to stick your head under the flow.

Pour the mixture into your lined baking tin.  Mine measured 25cm x 19cm.

Next mix your cheesecake ingredients in a clean bowl, I'm not lucky enough to have extra bowls for my mixer but they are on my birthday/christmas list if anyone is interested oh and a splatter guard please.

Pour this onto the brownie base and bake for 25-30 minutes.  It might rise and crack slightly but once cooled it shrinks back down and any cracks disappear, plus you'll be smothering it in cream.

It's best to leave it over night in the fridge before you put the topping on.  Put the cream, icing sugar and strawberry's in the mixer and whip till thick but still a little loose.  It will firm up further on it's own.  Decorate with sliced strawberry's.

It doesn't last long in our house but I did manage to hide a slice and it was still good after 3 days.