I love chocolate, I LOVE CHOCOLATE! and today I want to share with you a to die for secret recipe for the best darn chocolate cheesecake that I have ever tried and it is really very easy to make and you can get the ingredients here in Madrid without any difficulty.

I got this recipe from a Diner Desserts cookbook which I bought some years ago from Harvey Nichols in London. At the time I bought the book just because I thought it would look good on my kitchen shelf. It stayed on my shelf gathering dust for a few years until one day out I took it down off the shelf, blew away the dust and decided to give one of the recipes a shot.

I never looked backed and if you try this at home, neither will you. Please do leave me your comments if you try it out.

This is a dense, chewy brownie layer topped with a creamy cheese mixture and lots of pecan halves (walnuts will do). The subtle tang of the cheese cuts the richness of the chocolate and the pecans add a nutty crunch.

You will need:
CHOCOLATE LAYER:
6 ounces (175 gr) of semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces (85 gr) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (240ml) of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (240gr) of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup (360gr) of granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

CHEESECAKE LAYER:
1 pound (450gr) of cream cheese (Philadelphia) softened
1/3 cup (80gr) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

GARNISH
Pecans or walnuts (around 1/2 a cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC or 300ºF. Line a 9 inch by 13 inch baking pan with foil, so that the foil extends 2 inches beyond the two short ends of the pan. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of the foil-lined pan.
2. To make the chocolate layer, place the semi sweet and unsweetened chocolate in the tope of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate melts. Let cool for around 10 mins, or until tepid.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and salt with a whisk
4. In an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment or beaters, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute, or until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of teh bowl as necessary. Beat in the melted chocolate and vanilla. On low speed, beat in the flour mixutre until blended. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the pan on a flat surface in the freezer for 15 minutes.
5. To make the cheesecake layer, in an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment or beaters, beat together the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, cream, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds. Scrape the cheese mixture over the chilled chocolate layer and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the pecans over the cheese layer.
6. Bake the bars for 70 to 75 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Do NOT over-bake. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely. Using the two ends of the foil as handles, lift the brownies out of the pan. Invert onto a cutting surface and peel off the foil. Reinvert and cut into 3 inch squares. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!