Mosaic Cheesecake

When I first saw this recipe on this blog I knew I had to make it. I love cheesecake and I love brownies. So when some friends invited us over to play cards, I had this dessert in mind when I volunteered to bring the dessert. We had half of it left when we were done playing cards so I put it in the freezer for a later time otherwise I'm sure I would have felt the urge to sample it several times during the following days.

Mosaic Cheesecake

Part 1: Fudge Brownies
1 1/3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup canola oil
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. In smaller bowl combine wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Let tin foil hang over on two sides so you'll have handles with which to remove the brownies after they've cooled. Spray tin foil with cooking spray. Pour in batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Let cool. When cool remove brownies from pan and cut into 1/2 inch chunks with cookie cutter. You will need about 1/2 of the pan for the cheesecake. The rest you can just eat. :-) (they are really good refrigerated)

Part 2: The crust
2 1/4 cups chocolate graham crackers, crushed
8 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
Mix crust ingredients together and press into bottom and up sides of a greased springform pan. Fill crust or chill until ready to use.

Part 3: The cheesecake
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I use the 1/3 less fat kind)
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups brownie chunks
Mix cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Gently fold in brownie chunks and pour into crust. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the area near the center is set. Center will still be slightly wobbly when pan is shaken. Let cool and top with ganache.

Part 4: Ganache
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
Scald butter and cream in a saucepan. Place chocolate chips in food processor and process until powdery or very small pieces. With processor running, pour in hot butter and cream. Stop machine and scrape sides as necessary. When mixed, add vanilla and powdered sugar. Process until completely combined. Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still warm.

Chill cheesecake until ready to serve.