Cheesecake Red Velvet Brownies

The best way is to look at both layers rather than relying only on a toothpick. The edges should look set while the middle should have a very slight wobble when you gently move the pan. If you insert a toothpick into the red brownie part it should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.

Don't wait for the centre to look completely firm. The brownies and cream cheese layer will continue to set as they cool and taking them out while they are still slightly soft in the middle is what helps give you that fudgy texture. Overbaking is one of the easiest ways to end up with dry or cakey brownies.

The colour mainly depends on the type and amount of food colouring you use. For the brightest red, use a concentrated red gel food colouring rather than adding a large amount of liquid colouring. Gel gives you a stronger colour without adding much extra liquid to the brownie batter.

The cocoa powder also affects the finished colour. For this recipe natural unsweetened cocoa is a good choice because it keeps the red colour brighter than many very dark cocoa powders. Remember that the batter should look a little more intensely red than you want the finished brownies to be because the colour becomes less vibrant during baking.

If you use less colouring that is completely fine too. The brownies will still taste delicious, they will simply have a softer red or reddish brown colour rather than an overly bright and vivid one.

Start with full fat block cream cheese that has softened enough to mix easily. Beat the cream cheese on its own first until it is completely smooth before adding the sugar, egg, vanilla and flour.

If you start with cold cream cheese, small lumps can remain and are surprisingly difficult to remove once the other ingredients have been added. On the other hand don't leave it sitting somewhere warm for too long because very soft cream cheese can become runny and make the layer harder to spread.

Once everything is smooth, stop mixing. You want a thick 'n' creamy mixture rather than one that has been heavily whipped. This is what we've found from our own experience after making many different batches of this.

The secret to beautiful swirl pattern is less difficult than you think. For this recipe spread the cream cheese mixture into one smooth white layer first, then place the reserved red brownie batter in four spoonfuls around the top.

Use a thin knife and gently drag it through the red batter and cream cheese in curved movements. A few deliberate passes are enough. Try not to stir backwards and forwards repeatedly because too much swirling blends the colours together and leaves you with a pink or muddy looking top instead of clear red and white ribbons.

It's actually better for the uncooked brownies to look slightly less swirled than you intended. The pattern becomes much clearer once they have baked and been sliced.

Because these brownies contain a baked cream cheese layer store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep well for around 4 to 5 days.

For the best texture you can eat them straight from the fridge if you like a firm dense cheesecake layer. If you prefer the brownie to be softer and fudgier let a bar sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before eating.

They also tend to become easier to cut and even more chewy after they have been thoroughly chilled which makes them a great dessert to prepare a day ahead. This is what we like to do before a house party as the flavours get plenty of time to get better too.

Yes. These brownies freeze very well so they are a good choice if you want to make them ahead of time.

Let the brownies cool completely then cut them into individual portions. Wrap the pieces well and place them in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag. Separating the pieces with baking paper makes it much easier to take out one or two brownies whenever you want them.

For the best quality use them within about two to three months. When you are ready to eat them thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. You can then let them sit at room temperature for a little while before serving if you prefer a softer brownie texture.