Brownie Cheesecake

Ingredients for 16 servings:

• 270 g butter
• 320 g dark chocolate coating
• 300 g sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 5 eggs
• 180 g flour
• 45 g baking cocoa
• 750 g double cream cheese
• 200 g sugar
• 185 ml milk
• 180 g whipped cream
• 65 g cream stiffener or gelatine
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g whipped cream
• 200 g dark chocolate coating
• 4 chocolate bars of your choice

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 3 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 35 minutes

For the brownie batter, melt the finely chopped chocolate coating, butter, a pinch of salt, and sugar over a double boiler. The mixture should form a runny, homogenous mass. Then let it cool for 10 minutes. Gradually add the eggs and whisk to combine. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the brownie mixture and whisk to combine. Pour the batter into a 20cm springform pan lined with baking paper and bake at 160°C (320°F) for about 50 minutes; do the skewer test. Let the brownie cake cool completely and then slice in half. For the cheesecake topping, beat the cream cheese until creamy, gradually adding the sugar. Stir in San-Apart. Alternatively, dissolve 2 tablespoons of gelatin powder in 80ml (3 fl oz) of room-temperature water, let it set, and then melt again in the microwave. Now add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk everything together again. Whisk the cream until stiff peaks form and fold in. Line the bottom and sides of a sufficiently deep cake ring with parchment paper. Layer the brownie base and cheesecake cream alternately. Place everything in the freezer for 3 hours. For the ganache, bring the cream to a boil and pour it over the finely chopped chocolate coating. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes. Remove the cake from the freezer, remove the parchment paper, and then spread the ganache over the cake, allowing it to run down from the top. The cold from the cake will set the ganache before it reaches the base. Cut the chocolate bars into small pieces and arrange them on the cake. Use the remaining ganache as glue for the bars. The cake will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 3 hours before eating.