This week I decided to make a cheesecake. I chose this because I bought a new spring form pan and it was fairly easy to make. I started by making the brownies and cooking them in the spring form pan. Then I added the cheesecake to the pan and cooked for 50 minutes. After that, I let it cool down and placed it in the fridge overnight. The next morning, I made the chocolate ganache with heavy whipping cream and chocolate chips. This recipe was a huge hit! It was a lot of fun for me because I got to use the new toys I bought. It also made other people smile which makes me the happiest.

Chocolate Fudge ‘box’ Brownie Cheesecake

by Alix Traeger

Ingredients

for eight servings

CHEESECAKE

• 1 box brownie mix, prepared according to package instructions
• 24 oz cream cheese
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

GANACHE

• 1 lb semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups heavy cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
2. Prepare the brownie batter and pour into greased springform pan.
3. Bake until set, about 20-25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and sugar until incorporated. Add beaten eggs and vanilla, beat again until smooth.
5. Remove brownies and lower oven temperature to 325˚F (165˚C).
6. Pour cheesecake batter over brownie bottom and bake for 50 minutes until set and slightly jiggly.
7. Remove cheesecake and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.
8. Heat or microwave whipping cream to just before boiling and pour over chocolate chips. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
9. Allow the ganache to sit for 10-15 minutes.
10. Transfer cheesecake to a baking pan with a wire rack. In a circular motion starting from the inside out, pour the ganache glaze over the cheesecake making sure to cover all sides.
11. Allow ganache to cool and set for 30 minutes.
12. Enjoy!