Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

When it comes to desserts - I'm not sure there is anything more popular than brownies and cheesecake.  They make the menu at nearly every restaurant  - and not just in the US either.  They seem to have near universal popularity.  So naturally, combining the two is just magical.  Giving it an awesome Fall pumpkin-spice twist is even more magical.

Really, I need to like seriously ease up on the sweets,  but on a boring rainy Sunday afternoon who doesn't make brownies?  Am I right?  I always wish I did more entertaining so I have excuses to make more things like this (without eating it all myself) - but I figure at this time of year all of you have parties and school events to make treats for so it will be useful to you even if it induces gestational diabetes for me (I kid, I kid).  In fact, if all goes according to plan (ha! when does that happen?) there will be even more awesome pumpkin sweetness coming up later this week. 

I came up with this recipe simply after doing an inventory of what I had laying around the house - its basically just your basic brownies topped with your basic cheesecake (pumpkin flavored!).  The pumpkin cheesecake is pretty spicy, cause thats the way I like it, but you can definitely leave out some of the cinnamon/cloves/nutmeg if you prefer it less so.   These ended up being just about the most addicting treat I have ever made - its like pumpkin cheesecake with a brownie crust.  Amazing.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Brownies:
113g Butter
140g Bittersweet Chocolate (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
2 Tbs Cocoa
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
3 Eggs
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Cheesecake:
300g Cream Cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tbs flour

Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F
In a large bowl, combine all the cheesecake ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended.   Set aside.

Make the brownie mix.  In a double broiler (or a bowl over a pan of water) on medium heat, melt the bittersweet chocolate and the butter - stirring constantly.  When fully melted, remove from heat.

Stir in  sugar and cocoa powder.   Whisk in vanilla.  Whisk in eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next.  Stir in flour and salt until smooth and silky. 

Butter and flour a 2 L (2.2 qt) baking pan or Pyrex dish.  Spread 3/4 of the brownie batter in the bottom.   Pour the Pumpkin Cheesecake mixture over that.  Dollop the rest of the brownie batter across the top, then drag a knife through it to make it all swirly and pretty (mine wasn't that pretty of a swirl, but hey it still works). 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.   Allow to cool at least 5 or 10 minutes before cutting.  They taste great the next day (keep chilled), but I thought they were best a little warm :)