Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies - Gluten Free

Ultra fudgey homemade brownies swirled with creamy raspberry cheesecake and dotted with fresh raspberries. 

Ingredients:

FUDGE BROWNIES

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
• 250g coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose gluten free baking flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE LAYER

• 250 cream cheese, softened (do not use light make sure it is full fat cream cheese!!)
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup (80g) raspberry preserves/jam (i used a raspberry puree)
  
• raspberries for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the bottom and sides of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan with baking paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside. Set out cream cheese for the cheesecake layer and allow to soften as you prepare the brownies.

Make the brownies first: Melt butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and add semi-sweet chocolate, put on the pot lid. Allow the chocolate to melt into the butter (fuse), stir after 2 minutes. Leave to cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes). You may also stick the chocolate/butter mixture into the refrigerator to cool to room temperature quicker.

Beat 3 eggs in an electric mixer until lighter in colour. Slowly add the caster sugar and beat till light and fluffy, add vanilla. Gently fold in the flour, salt and chocolate-butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan, reserving 1/4 cup of batter.

Make the cheesecake swirl: With a hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk, and raspberry preserves and beat in a medium bowl until completely smooth - about 1 minute. If you'd like a pinker cheesecake layer, add 2-3 drops of red food colouring. Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top of the prepared brownie batter. Drizzle with the last 1/4 cup of brownie batter. Glide a knife through the layers, creating a swirl pattern. Press a few raspberries into the top.

Bake brownies for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out almost clean - which may be shorter or longer. Just keep your eye on them and test with a toothpick. Mine took exactly 35 minutes. Cover the brownies after 20 minutes to avoid the top from browning too much and too quickly. Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares, at least 4 hours. I set mine on the counter for 30 minutes, then in the refrigerator for 2 hours which sped up the process. Brownies stay fresh stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Apple Crumble and Cinnamon Sponge Cupcakes - Gluten Free

This was a creative day in the kitchen for me making up everything as i was going and i must say i was quite happy with my outcome! What is better than apple crumble... an apple crumble cupcake!!! This has a sponge vanilla and cinnamon cupcake, filled with apple and topped with vanilla buttercream, more apple and crumble topping. And its even GLUTEN FREE!! Enjoy xx

Vanilla and Cinnamon Cupcake:

185g unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 1/4 cups (275g) caster sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup (80ml) milk

1 cup gluten free baking flour

1/3 cup gluten free corn flour

½ cup almond meal

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light in colour. 

Add caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. 

Add the flour, milk, corn flour, baking powder and almond meal, be careful not to over mix, beat till just combined. 

Place paper baking cups in a cupcake tin. Spoon in vanilla cupcake batter till half full. Add the cinnamon to the remaining mixture. Add another small soon on top of the vanilla batter till 2/3s full. Use a tooth pic to marble the batter together. (don't overfill or they will form peaks). 

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden or until they spring back when lightly pressed. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool while you prepare the apple filling and icing.

Apple filling:

3 apples, peeled and cubed 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Add the peeled apple pieces into a bowl with a small amount of water. Cook in microwave for 8 minutes. Leave to cool. Put aside a small amount for the top of the cupcakes. Add cinnamon and its all ready to go! 

Vanilla buttercream frosting: 

Ingredients: 

125g softened unsalted butter 

1/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

4 cups icing sugar 

MAKES 4 cups of frosting – enough for 24 cupcakes KEEPS 1 week 

Cream the butter for 1–2 minutes. Add the milk, vanilla extract and half of the sifted icing sugar, and beat for at least 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if the mixture is too dry or extra icing sugar if the mixture is too wet. If you wish to colour and/or flavour the buttercream then this is the time to do it. Add a drop at a time and beat in until you reach the required colour and/or flavour. Pipe or use a round edge kitchen knife to apply the buttercream to the cupcake.

Crumble topping:

1 cup Rice flakes

3/4 cup threaded coconut 

2 tablespoons softened butter 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl till combined. Pour into a small baking dish and bake under the grill until golden. This needs to be watched as it can easily burn if left to long.

Assembling the cupcakes:

Using a small knife, cut a small hole in the middle of the cupcakes and core the inside (this will not be used to feel free to eat it!!). Fill the cupcakes with the apple filling. Pipe the vanilla butter cream around the outside of the cupcake. Add the remaining apple filling to top the cupcakes. Get the crumble topping and sprinkle around the edge of the apple. You may want to add sprinkles or flowers to the top also if you wish!