Blackberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
These triple layered blackberry & white chocolate cheesecake brownies are super easy to make yet incredibly delicious & impressive!
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These cheesecake brownies have 3 tasty layers, which includes 2 types of cheesecake. A baked one & a chilled, mascarpone one!
There’s a fudgy, chocolate brownie on the bottom that’s made with both dark chocolate & Dutch processed cocoa powder for maximum chocolate flavour. In the middle, there’s a baked white chocolate cheesecake that’s flavoured with lime zest & vanilla. Then on the top, there’s a blackberry mascarpone cheesecake, which we’re finishing with a generous dusting of cocoa powder.
These chocolate brownies are surprisingly easy to make and the blackberries can be swapped out for whatever berries are currently in season. I made mine with blackberries from the hedge right by my house. They’re seriously tasty & look fantastic!
Looking for more baking recipes to try? We have recipes for a whole load of bakes. From homemade bread & sourdough, to cakes, brownies & cookies.
Ingredient Notes
- Blackberries – I like to use wild blackberries but shop bought ones will work as well. If you’ve picked your own berries, make sure to wash them before using!
- Chocolate – You’ll need both dark & white chocolate for this recipe. I like to use a 72% dark chocolate.
- Cocoa Powder – Dutch processed cocoa powder gives our brownies the best flavour & colour. This is available in most supermarkets. If you’re in the UK, I’d recommend using Green & Black’s.
- Cream Cheese – We’re making 2 types of cheesecake for these brownies. We’re using full fat cream cheese for the baked cheesecake & mascarpone for the chilled cheesecake.
- Eggs – We’re using large eggs for this recipe. These should weigh roughly 65 grams in the shell.
- Sugar – You’ll need 3 different sugars for these cheesecake brownies. Caster, dark brown & icing.
How To Wash Wild Blackberries
Wild blackberries can be found on hedgerows & in woodlands in late summer & early to mid Autumn. Once ripe, they’ll be juicy, plump and a dark, black colour.
It’s important to wash wild blackberries after picking them, to remove any bugs & dirt. To do this fill a large bowl with 3 parts cold water & 1 part vinegar (apple cider or white wine works best) then add in the berries & leave to soak for at least 5 minutes. The acidity will draw out insects/bugs if there are any.
Drain the blackberries into a colander then refill the bowl with cold water & soak the berries for another 5 minutes. Repeat this step once more then drain & leave the berries to dry slightly before using.
Make sure not to use warm water or to run water directly onto the berries as this will turn them mushy.
How To Make Blackberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
The full, printable recipe card for these brownies can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…
A quick note: I’d recommend melting the white chocolate for the cheesecake before making the brownie batter. This ensures that the chocolate will be cool enough to make the cheesecake layer as soon as we’ve made the brownie.
- Brownie Layer
To make the chocolate brownie, we first melt butter, chocolate & salt over a bain marie then whisk in cocoa powder & leave to cool slightly. In the meantime, we whisk eggs with dark brown & caster sugar until pale & fluffy. Next, we mix the melted chocolate into the eggs, fold in plain flour then transfer into a lined 8″ square tin. - White Chocolate Cheesecake
Onto the cheesecake layer. To make this, we mix cream cheese with melted white chocolate, caster sugar, lime zest, vanilla paste, an egg & a pinch of salt. Once smooth & combined, we spoon the cheesecake on top of the brownie layer & gently spread it out into an even layer. - Baking
We bake the cheesecake brownies at 175°c/350°f until the cheesecake is set but still has a slight wobble. This will take around 20 minutes. - Set In The Fridge
Once baked, we let the brownies cool to room temperature then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. - Blackberry Puree
Before making the blackberry mascarpone, we first need to cook blackberries & sugar on the stove until soft then blend smooth, pass through a sieve & leave to cool completely. - Blackberry Cheesecake
To make our blackberry cheesecake, we whisk mascarpone, icing sugar & vanilla paste together, until smooth & combined. We then add in the blackberry puree & double cream and continue whisking until the mix has reached soft peaks. - Set Overnight
Next, we spoon the blackberry cheesecake on top of the chilled brownie, spread out into an even layer then chill overnight to set. - To Finish
Once our brownie is set, we dust the top with cocoa powder then cut into portions.
Cheesecake Brownies Tips & Tricks
- Whisk the eggs & sugar for at least 10 minutes in a mixer, on a medium speed. The whisk should leave a trail in the eggs when lifted out.
- Bloom the cocoa powder before adding to the brownie batter, for the best flavour. In this recipe, we’re doing this by mixing it with the melted chocolate & butter.
- It’s better to undercook your cheesecake brownies than overcook. They should be just set (with a slight wobble) when they come out of the oven.
- Chill the brownies in the fridge overnight before portioning. This makes cutting them a lot easier & ensure that each layer will be fully set.
- Serve brownies at room temperature or give them a couple of seconds in the microwave first.
Frequently Asked Questions
A higher percentage dark chocolate will give your brownies a richer, more chocolatey flavour. I’d recommend using a 72% dark chocolate.
Cheesecake brownies should be stored in the fridge (in an airtight container) & will keep for 3-4 days. These brownies are best served if left at room temperature for half an hour or so before eating or warmed in a microwave for 5 seconds.
You’ll need either a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer for this recipe. The eggs & sugar need to be whisked for a good ten minutes & you won’t be able to incorporate enough air if whisking by hand.
For the neatest cheesecake brownies portions, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (cleaned & dried between cuts).
Once baked, the cheesecake layer will be set but will still have a slight wobble if you gently jiggle the tin. This will take around 20 minutes at 175°c/350°f.
Baking Cheesecake Brownies In An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas. Here’s how to cook this recipe in an Aga…
Use the simmering plate to melt the chocolate & to cook the blackberries. Bake the brownies in the baking oven, on the bottom set of runners.
Equipment Used
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More Baking Recipes To Try!
- Chocolate Loaf Cake With Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Rapeseed Oil Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
- Black Tahini Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Brown Butter Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats
- Lemon & Almond Battenberg
- Nutty Brown Butter Flapjacks
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Blackberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
Equipment
- 8" Square Baking Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Sieve
- Palette Knife
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Saucepans
- Stick Blender
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownie
- 180 g Dark Chocolate 72% Is Best!
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
- ¼ tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 45 g Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 3 Large Eggs
- 130 g Caster Sugar
- 65 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 45 g Plain Flour
White Chocolate Cheesecake
- 120 g White Chocolate
- 280 g Cream Cheese (At Room Temperature)
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- 2 Limes (Zested)
- A Pinch Of Fine Sea Salt
Blackberry Cheesecake
- 200 g Blackberries
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- A Pinch Of Fine Sea Salt
- 250 g Mascarpone
- 50 g Icing Sugar (Sifted)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- 250 g Double Cream
To Finish
- 2 tsp Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 175°c/155°c fan (350°f/310°f). Grease & line an 8" square baking tin with baking parchment then set aside.
- Next, melt the white chocolate for the cheesecake then set to one side, to cool slightly.You can melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a bain marie! We're melting this first, so that it doesn't melt the cream cheese when we make the cheesecake layer.
Chocolate Brownie
- Roughly chop the dark chocolate & butter then place into a large heatproof bowl along with the sea salt. Set this over a pan of barely simmering water & cook until just melted, stirring regularly.
- Whilst your chocolate is melting, place the eggs & both sugars into the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attached. Whisk on medium speed, until the eggs are pale, light & fluffy. This will take around 10 minutes.The whisk will leave a trail in the eggs when they are whisked enough.
- Once the chocolate is melted, take the bowl off the heat then whisk in the cocoa powder. Set aside to cool slightly whilst the eggs are whisking.
- When the eggs have finished whisking, turn the mixer's speed down slightly & slowly pour in the melted chocolate, mixing until just combined.
- Once all the chocolate has been incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer & give the sides a good scrape down. Add in the flour & gently fold in until just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the lined tin, smoothing it into an even layer with a palette knife. Set this to one side.
White Chocolate Cheesecake
- Give your stand mixer's bowl a quick clean then add in the cream cheese, cooled white chocolate, caster sugar, egg, vanilla, lime zest & a pinch of salt. Mix with the paddle attachment until combined & smooth. This will take 2-3 minutes on a medium speed.
- Pour the cheesecake mix on top of the brownie then gently spread out into an even layer with a palette knife.Spread the cheesecake out gently, so that it doesn't mix in with the brownie layer!
- Bake the brownie in the preheated oven until the cheesecake layer is set, with a slight wobble. This will take 20-25 minutes.
- Once baked, let the brownie cool to room temperature then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Blackberry Cheesecake
- Add the blackberries into a small saucepan, along with the caster sugar & a pinch of salt. Set the pan over a medium-low heat then cook until the blackberries are soft & broken down. This will take 10 minutes or so.
- Give the blackberries a blitz with a stick blender (or a jug blender) then pass into a bowl, through a sieve. Leave to cool at room temperature then chill until cold.
- Next, add the mascarpone, icing sugar & vanilla paste into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on a medium speed, until combined & smooth. This will only take a minute or two.
- Add the blackberry puree into the mascarpone then whisk on a medium-low speed, to combine. Then with the mixer still running, gradually pour in the double cream.
- Once all of the cream has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium & continue whisking until the mascarpone reaches soft peaks. This will take around 2-3 minutes of whisking.
- Spoon the blackberry cheesecake on top of the chilled brownie, spread into an even layer with a palette knife then refrigerate overnight, to set.
To Finish
- The next day, carefully lift the brownies out of the tin, discard the baking parchment then place onto a large chopping board.
- Using a sharp serrated knife, trim each of the 4 edges slightly then dust the top of the brownie with the cocoa powder.Trimming the brownies is optional but gives us neater portions. To make things easier, I like to run the knife under warm water then dry between each cut.
- Cut the brownie into 12 squares then serve at room temperature.
