Brownie-Bottom Lemon Cheesecake

Name: Brownie-Bottom Lemon Cheesecake
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; 6 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped; 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar; 1 large egg; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature; 13/4 cups sugar; 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel; 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 5 large eggs; 2 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 cup sour cream; Bittersweet chocolate curls or shavings; 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise; 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch- to 3-inch-high sides; Offset spatula

This recipe wasn't created, per se; it was a happy accident. One of our new (though lovely) bakers was working on a tray of brownies and pulled them out too early from the oven. They were too underdone for sale, so we cut some out, pressed them into the bottom of a springform pan, and used them as the base of our cheesecake. It has been on our menu ever since.

By Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

March 31, 2009

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Dessert Cake Confectionery and Sweets

Brownie-Bottom Lemon CheesecakeBrian Finke

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