Brownie-Bottom Lemon Cheesecake

Name: Brownie-Bottom Lemon Cheesecake
Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; 6 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (54% to 60% cacao), chopped; 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar; 1 large egg; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature; 13/4 cups sugar; 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel; 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 5 large eggs; 2 large egg yolks; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream; 1 cup sour cream; Bittersweet chocolate curls or shavings; 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise; 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch- to 3-inch-high sides; Offset spatula

This recipe wasn't created, per se; it was a happy accident. One of our new (though lovely) bakers was working on a tray of brownies and pulled them out too early from the oven. They were too underdone for sale, so we cut some out, pressed them into the bottom of a springform pan, and used them as the base of our cheesecake. It has been on our menu ever since.

By Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

March 31, 2009

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Dessert Cake Confectionery and Sweets

Brownie-Bottom Lemon CheesecakeBrian Finke

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.