Ingredients:
- cup (227g) Unsalted Butter
- ounces (227g) Good Quality Dark Chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), chopped
- ½ cups (300g) Granulated Sugar (for brownie)
- Large Eggs (room temperature)
- teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (for brownie)
- cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup (45g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Dutch-process recommended)
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- (8-ounce) package (226g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) Granulated Sugar (for cheesecake)
- Large Egg Yolk
- ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (for cheesecake)
- teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to act as handles.
- Gently melt the butter and chopped dark chocolate together until completely smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the 1 ½ cups of sugar.
- Whisk in the 3 eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Prepare the cheesecake layer: Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the ¼ cup sugar, then the egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon juice until silky. Cover and chill briefly.
- Press about two-thirds of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan, creating the base layer.
- Dollop the chilled cheesecake mixture evenly over the brownie layer. Spoon small bits of the remaining brownie batter over the top of the cheesecake.
- Use a butter knife or skewer to gently draw lines through the batters to create a marble effect. Avoid over-swirling to maintain definition between the layers.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes. The edges should look set, and the cheesecake portion should have minimal jiggle. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely on a wire rack (at least 2 hours). For the cleanest slice, chill in the refrigerator for an additional hour before lifting out via the parchment handles and slicing.