How to make Nadiya Hussain’s Cheesecake Brownies from Nadiya Bakes, Series 1, Episode 4, “Baking with Chocolate”

If you want a brownie with low calories and a no-guilt taste then Nadiya Hussain’s Cheesecake Brownies with Nutty Caramel are most definitely NOT them.

After all, when you make Nadiya Hussain‘s brownies with what seems like 10lbs of butter, pounds of chocolate, hazelnuts, dulce de leche and other delectable goodies, those chocolate brownies are going straight to your hips.

But, for me, currently living in Vienna, Austria under an inept government panicked about Covid-19, and with another idiotic economy-destroying lockdown pretty much inevitable, calories and my hips are the last thing on my mind.

That’s why, when I watched Nadiya Bakes, Series 1, Episode 4, “Baking with Chocolate” on the BBC iPlayer a couple of weeks ago, I made sure I grabbed enough ingredients from my local supermarket that I could make these suckers many times.

Lockdown or not.

And yes, if you have not yet made Nadiya Hussain’s Cheesecake Brownies with Nutty Caramel, I am here to tell you these are absolutely the best brownies I have ever eaten. Bar none.

 

How to make Nadiya Hussain’s Cheesecake Brownies with Nutty Caramel

Ingredients

For the brownies

  • 250g/9oz unsalted butter
  • 250g/9oz dark chocolate
  • 4 eggs
  • 280g/10oz dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
  • 120g/4½oz plain flour
  • 30g/1oz cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 150g/5½oz dark chocolate chips

 

Nadiya explaining why dulce de leche is soooooo good

For the filling

  • 200g/7oz chopped mixed nuts or hazelnuts
  • 450g jar dulce de leche
  • ½ tsp salt

For the cheesecake

  • 300g/10½oz full-fat soft cream cheese
  • 100g/3½oz caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 orange, zest only
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • cocoa powder

Method

  1. Put the butter and the chocolate into a pan and place over an extremely low heat. Place the brown sugar and 4 eggs in a bowl and whisk together.
  2. Pour the now-melted chocolate/butter mixture into the whisked sugar and eggs and whisk together.
  3. Add the plain flour and whisk again.
  4. Put 1 teaspoon of instant coffee into a measuring jug and add 2 teaspoons of hot water. Mix together and then pour into the bowl with all the other ingredients. Add the cocoa powder and salt. Mix.
  5. Add a teaspoon of flour to the chocolate chips and mix around, then pour the chocolate chips into the cocoa mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture into a baking paper lined 20 x 30 x 5cm/8in x 12in x 2in baking pan and bake for 20 minutes at 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
  7. Remove the now-baked mixture from the oven and cool.
  8. Pour the dulce de leche into a bowl and add the nuts or hazelnuts. Add a sprinkle of salt and mix.
  9. Layer the mixture onto the top of the cooled brownies and put into the fridge for 30 minutes to cool.
  10. Put the soft cream cheese into a bowl. Add 2 eggs, the caster sugar, the orange zest, almond extract and a tablespoon of plain flour.
  11. Whisk together with a hand whisk.
  12. Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the top of the caramel/nut coated brownies. Smooth the top with a thick knife and place back into the fridge. Cool overnight.
  13. The day after, dust with cocoa powder, cut into slices and, yes, EAT.

Although, if you are like me, try not to eat the whole pan at one sitting as, yes, these brownies are sooooo good, I am absolutely sure I could. (article continues below…)

How to make Nadiya’s Crisp, Chocolate & Salted Peanut Dessert

And that is how you make Nadiya Hussain’s Cheesecake Brownies with Nutty Caramel.

Watch her video below to see how she does it and, if you are in the UK or can get access to the BBC iPlayer via a VPN, I highly recommend you watch Nadiya Bakes.

Especially the awesome ‘Baking with Chocolate‘ episode, as there are several more chocolately recipes that look divine.

 

About Michelle Topham

I'm a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I'm also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!