Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Ingredients
. 1 standard box brownie mix
. ingredients for preparing brownies as indicated on the box, (typically 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons water, ½ cup vegetable oil)
. 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
. ⅔ cup granulated sugar
. 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
. 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
. ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
. 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream, divided
. 2 large eggs, room temperature
. 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
. ½ cup hot fudge or chocolate sauce, for serving
Instructions
1 . Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 . Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
3 . In a mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil and prepare according to the instructions on the box.
4 . Transfer brownie batter to the prepared springform pan and bake for 15 minutes until the brownies are set across the top.
5 . Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
6 . Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
7 . Add flour, vanilla extract, sour cream, and ¼ cup heavy cream and mix to combine.
8 . Add in one egg at a time and stir by hand until mixed in.
9 . Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked brownie. The brownie crust does not need to be cooled after 15 minutes of baking.
10. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
11. Return the springform pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, turn off the oven, keeping the door closed for 20 minutes. Then, crack the door of the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for an additional 30 minutes.
12. Remove cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 additional hours.

13. Just before serving, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.

14. Top cheesecake with whipped cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.

Notes

. For the creamiest cheesecake, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
. Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your brownie crust and cheesecake as the suggested baking times approach in this recipe.
. By pre-baking the brownie base for just 15 minutes, we end up with a finished cheesecake that still has a fudgy brownie and a perfectly baked cheesecake.
. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure you don’t end up with lumps in your cheesecake filling.
. Do not beat in the eggs. Stir them in one at a time, gently. This helps to reduce the amount of air introduced into the cheesecake batter. Extra air causes the cheesecake to rise and crack.
. Slowly reducing the temperature of the cheesecake after cooking by turning off the oven for some time and then cracking the oven door for some time also helps reduce cracking in the cheesecake. It also allows the cheesecake to finish cooking so that it is not overbaked, crumbly, or dry.

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