By Kelly Bogard

If your house is anything like mine, you don’t always get to celebrate a holiday on the actual day. Valentine’s Day is no exception at our house, either. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my mom-in-law’s birthday happens to be the same day. Then there is sweet Butters running around giving hugs to anyone who will stand still. So, my husband and I don’t get to celebrate Valentine’s on its normal day.

We usually pick the Saturday either before or after to share a nice, quiet dinner and spend time with each other. We went to dinner last weekend, but I wanted to do something special for my love. So, for this weekend, I made him a cheesecake. Not just any cheesecake, either. I made a brownie bottom, chocolate cheesecake with strawberry swirls. And, oh my gosh, is it rich! This cheesecake is a chocoholic’s dream.

For Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cheesecake, you will need…[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”sep” style=”vertical-align:text-top;”]
Brownie Bottom
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
4 oz. unsweetened baker’s chocolate
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt[/wpcol_1half] [wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=”vertical-align:text-top;”]
Cheesecake
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp. seedless strawberry preserves[/wpcol_1half_end]

We try not to eat very many sweets in our house, but when the occasion presents itself, I love to make something fancy. It’s just the way I am wired. This recipe is time-consuming, but not hard at all to make. There are two steps to this process. Let’s start with the brownie bottom.

First things, first. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and baker’s chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove to cool.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Mix in the sugar. Then add the eggs, one at a time; mix until blended after each addition. Once combined, stir in the milk and vanilla.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Slowly add flour and salt, mixing until just blended. Spoon into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

While your brownie is baking, move on to preparing the cheesecake mixture. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition until incorporated. Blend in sour cream.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Mix in cocoa. When the brownie is done, remove from the oven and spread the cheesecake filling over the brownie bottom.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Next, heat the strawberry preserves in the microwave for approximately 15 seconds or until warm.  Dot the top of the cheesecake with small dollops of the warmed preserves and swirl in with a knife.

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Cover the bottom of the pan with foil and place in a water bath of one inch of water.  Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool before removing the rim of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Overall, this recipe takes about 3 hours to make, start to finish, before cooling. I would recommend making it the day before you want to serve it. And if it cracks, just tell everyone that the cracks give it character.

I hope you got to enjoy something sweet for Valentine’s Day. From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cheesecake

Summary: Rich and creamy treat for your sweetie

chocolate strawberry cheesecake

Brownie Bottom

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 oz. unsweetened baker’s chocolate
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

  • Melt butter and chocolate in a small pot over low heat, stirring constantly.
  • Remove to cool.
  • Mix in sugar.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time; mix until blended after each addition.
  • Stir in the milk and vanilla.
  • Slowly add the flour and salt, mixing until just blended.
  • Spoon into a greased 9-inch springform pan.
  • Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Once baked, remove from oven and prepare cheesecake layer.

Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 3 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp. seedless strawberry preserves

Instructions

  • Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until well blended.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition until incorporated.
  • Blend in sour cream.
  • Mix in cocoa.
  • Spread over brownie bottom.
  • Heat the preserves in the microwave for approximately 15 seconds or until warm.
  • Dot the top of the cheesecake with small dollops of the warmed preserves.
  • Swirl in with a knife.
  • Cover bottom of pan with foil and place in a water bath of one inch of water.
  • Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until center is almost set.
  • Cool before removing the rim of the pan.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cooking time (duration): 1 hour, 40 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 12

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