Brownie Bottomed Lemon Cheesecake

Cheesecakes make my heart sing and is my favorite dessert of all times . I like the classic Newyork cheesecake , as it is non - hassled with unnecessary flavors and sings loudly of the intense flavor of both the cream cheese and sour cream . Once you get the classic cheesecake recipe right , you can play around with the flavor and toppings to create new variations . The classic New York style cheesecake is served with just the cake and no fruit, chocolate or caramel is served on the top or the side. This famously smooth-tasting cake gets its signature flavor from extra egg yolks in the cream cheese cake mix.

Each region of the world also has its own take on the best way to make the dessert. Italians use ricotta cheese, while the Greeks use mizithra or feta. Germans prefer cottage cheese, while the Japanese use a combination of cornstarch and egg whites. There are specialty cheesecakes that include blue cheese, spicy chilies and even tofu! In spite of all the variations, the popular dessert’s main ingredients which is cheese and a sweetener –remain the same.

I personally prefer the fully baked version vis a vis the no -bake cheesecake , as it is easier to set and is a sure shot guarantee to a good jiggle on your cake . From its earliest recorded beginnings to its current iconic status around the world , this creamy cake remains a favorite for sweet tooth of all ages. This particular brownie bottomed beauty is a new invention in the hungry boy kitchen since I has some left over brownies , which i mixed with some chocolate chip cookies and cocoa for a rich chocolate base . Happy to share the recipe here !

Things you will need

• 04- 05 pieces of left over chocolate brownie or 02 200 gm packets of chocolate chip cookies , blitzed into a coarse powder or a mix of both in equal parts

• 50 gms melted butter

• 02 large eggs

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 200 gms of cream cheese

• 100 gms of thick hung curd or greek yogurt

• 200 gms of fresh whipping cream

• 01 tsp gelatin , pre -soaked in water

• 01 level tbsp of lemon zest

• Salt to taste

Steps to follow

• Hand crumble the left over brownie in a large mixing bowl - Add in the melted butter to this and mix well to get a sand like rubble texture .

• Using the back of a spoon , flatten this mixture onto the base of your baking tin and keep it to cool in the refrigerator - In case you don' t have brownies , feel free to use blitzed chocolate chip cookies combined with a tsp of cocoa powder with the butter .

• Using a hand mixer , blend the cream cheese and the sugar together.

• Next , add in 02 eggs , one at a time , followed by the hung curd.

• In a separate bowl , make small peaks of the fresh whipping cream .

• Using a spatula , fold the whipped cream into the cheese mixture - Note , this needs to be done with a light hand , as we do not want the cream to loose its silken texture. Lastly , incorporate the lemon zest and gelatin mix.

• Pour this mix onto the pre - prepared brownie / biscuit base and slow bake the cheesecake at 150* Celsius for 50- 70 mins.

• Bring out the cheesecake and cool completely to room temperature .

• Refrigerate for 05 -06 hours and serve dusted with some cocoa powder.

Pro - Tip : The Cheesecake wobble test - You can check if your cheesecake is done by trying the wobble test. To check the doneness, open the oven door and give the pan a gentle but firm rap with a spoon to see if the center wobbles slightly . If yes , it is done !