Brookie Cheesecake

I have some fun news today! ABC Family has welcomed me to participate in a 2 week blogger challenge to kick off their new TV Series Young & Hungry. Young & Hungry is a TV show based all around a food blogger – how cool! During the two weeks a group of bloggers will be competeing in given challenges using items chosen by ABC to compete for the grand prize – to have their blog mentioned on the TV show. So cool right? The winner is chosen by none other then you! You can help me out during each challenge by heading over to the Young & Hungry app and voting for me!

Today kicks off challenge #2 Father’s Day Challenge – to create a recipe inspired by a dad in your life. I chose to create something for the hubs. Not only is he an incredible, loving, and encouraging father to our three cupcakes, he also makes countless trips to the store for things like butter and powdered sugar. So every once in awhile he deserves to be absolutely spoiled, in the form of dessert of course! I’ve been wanting to make him some Brookies for awhile now (a magical mix of brownies and cookies) because brownies and cookies always rank at the top of his favorites list. You can’t hardly trust this man with a warm pan of cookies – trust me. And then there’s cheesecake. He loves cheesecake (who doesn’t really?) so why not put them all together, and then drizzle on some chocolate for good measure of course.

The result was incredible! A soft and chewy bottom layer of brownies and chocolate chip cookies, then a thick layer of no bake cheesecake, add a few crumbs around the rim, and a bit of drizzled chocolate to finish. It’s almost magical. The hardest part was of course waiting for it to freeze…we might have pulled it out a little too soon even. ;)

For a flip through step by step video check out my entry on the Young and Hungry app! And then come back and grab this recipe and head to the store…you’re not going to want to wait for this one!

Here’s what you’re going to need:

1 Box Duncan Hines Brownies + Ingredients Listed On Box
1 16oz. Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Roll
2 8oz. Packs Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1/4 Tsp. Salt
2 Tbps. Lemon Juice
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Whipping Cream
1 Block of Candiquik Melting Chocolate

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, prepare brownie batter as direction on the box.

Step 2: Begin placing 1.5in chunks of cookie dough around the bottom of a 9in. springform cheesecake pan. Arrange them like polka dots in the pan with a little space in between for the brownie batter to go in. (you do not have to use all of your cookie dough)

Step 3: Pour brownie batter over the cookie dough chunks just until they are covered. It should be about 3/4 of an inch thick. Drop a few small balls of cookie dough on the top if you would like. You will have left over brownie batter.

Step 4: Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes unit a toothpick comes out clean.

Step 5: Let brookie layer cool completely (to speed up the process you can pop it in the freezer.

Step 6: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on high until light and fluffy. Add in salt, lemon juice, vanilla, and sugar. Beat until all completely combined, set aside.

Step 7: In an additional mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks have formed. Fold whipping cream into cheesecake, once all is folded in give it all one quick whip with the mixer.

Step 7: Pour cheesecake on top of cooled broke and place in freezer for 4-5 hours or until firm.

Step 8: Use extra brownie and cookie batter to bake up small portions and to be cut into chunks for the toppings. A cupcake or single serve brownie pan works perfect.

Step 9: Once cheesecake is firm place brownie and cookie chunks around the outside edge to top. Melt 1 square of chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds until smooth and liquid. Finish off with a drizzle of chocolate using a spoon or chocolate bottle.