There’s something charming about the Hummingbird Bakery in South Kensington, London -maybe it’s the pink and brown décor, maybe it’s the reassuring familiarity of seeing cupcakes in London, or maybe it’s the sinfully delicious scent that fills every inch of the room. All I know is that I would like to have a little piece of that charm in my own kitchen. So I went to buy myself “The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.”

One of the many recipes that caught my eye was the raspberry cheesecake brownie. I’ve always been such a fan of berries and chocolate together; so this recipe was just perfect! I did not waste any time and started raiding my pantry, I found that I had most of the required ingredients but not the star of the show – raspberry and dark chocolate. So I decided to, again, improvise and made do with semi-sweet chocolate and strawberries instead.

The recipe has three part to it and requires at least 2 hours of refrigeration, which makes it a little time consuming than my previous recipes on this blog. However, each part is very simple, and the result is definitely worth it! Each layer of flavor adds another dimension to the dish. The contrast between the rich brownie and the tartness of the berries just makes for a decadent treat. Especially when emphasized by the contrasting texture of the dense brownie, smooth cheesecake, and the airy whipped cream. My mouth is watering just thinking about it; but it’s midnight, and I should refrain myself from having another piece…..right?

Hummingbird Bakery raspberry cheesecake brownie

Brownie ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 200g unsalted butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 3 eggs
• 110g plain flour

Cheesecake ingredients:

• 400g cream cheese
• 150g icing sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• cream topping
• 300 ml whipping cream
• 100g icing sugar
• 150g raspberries, plus extra to decorate
• 33 x 23 x 5-cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper

Method

For the brownie:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.
2. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water). Leave until melted and smooth.
3. Put the butter and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.
5. Gradually beat in the flour, mixing well after each addition, then turn the mixer up to high speed and beat for a little longer until you get a smooth mixture.
6. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking tray and smooth over with a palette knife.

For the cheesecake:

1. 1. Put the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until smooth and thick. Add one egg at a time, while still mixing. Scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. The mixture should be very smooth and creamy.
   2. The mixer can be turned up to a higher speed at the end to make the mix a little lighter and fluffier, but be careful not to overmix, otherwise the cheese will split. Spoon on top of the brownie and smooth over with a palette knife.
   3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the cheesecake is firm to the touch and light golden around the edges. The centre should still be pale. Leave to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

For the cream topping:

1. Put the cream, sugar and raspberries in a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until firm but not stiff.
2. Turn the brownie out onto a board and turn the right way up.
3. Spread the topping evenly over the brownie and decorate with more raspberries.

Bon Appétit!

Hummingbird Bakery