 Illusen Day Matcha Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
by sportyangel3338
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Happy Illusen Day Neopian Times readers! Are you throwing an Illusen Day party? Why not make one of the many Illusen treats for yourself that your Neopets can eat all the time? To go along with your Illusen Day Cake and Illusen Iced Tea, today I’m going to share with you all a recipe to recreate your own Illusen Day Matcha Cheesecake Brownies. Delicious earthy matcha cheesecake swirled with fudgy brownies, what is not to like? Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder. This will turn the cheesecake portion of the dessert green which is perfect for Illusen. If you have never had matcha, it has an earthy flavour. It can be found at many grocery stores and/or specialty Asian grocery stores. The combination of the earthy matcha with the silky cream cheese mixture is delectable. The sourness of the cream cheese offsets the sweetness of the chocolate. These cheesecake brownies are incredibly rich and perfect for sharing. Now let’s get started! First I’ll give you all an equipment list. You should have most of these items at home. If you don’t have a stand mixer or electric hand mixer at home, you can use a whisk. It will just take a lot longer and a lot of arm muscle, but it is possible! Necessary Equipment 1. Baking spray, oil, or butter to grease pan 2. 8x10 inch or 23 x 23 x 5 cm baking pan 3. Small bowl 4. Stand mixer or handheld mixer 5. Large bowl or bowl of stand mixer 6. Spatula 7. Whisk 8. Spoon 9. Knife 10. Chopping Board Now, we need a list of ingredients! Matcha Cheesecake Batter Ingredients 1. 8 ounces or 1 block Room Temperature Cream Cheese (Can substitute with mascarpone if cream cheese is unavailable) 2. 50 grams or 0.25 Cup Granulated (Caster) Sugar 3. 2 grams or 0.5 Teaspoon Almond Extract (Can substitute with Vanilla) 4. 1 Large Egg 5. 5 grams or 2 Teaspoons Matcha Powder (Adjust based on Matcha preference 6. 6 grams or 1 Teaspoon Table Salt Fudgy Brownie Batter Ingredients 1. 120 grams or 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour (NOT Self Rising) 2. 90 grams or 0.75 Cup Cocoa Powder 3. 85 grams or 0.5 Cup Brown (Muscovado) Sugar 4. 200 grams or 1 Cup Granulated (Caster) Sugar 5. 4 grams or 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 6. 6 grams or 1 Teaspoon Table Salt 7. 80 grams or 0.5 Cup Chopped Semisweet Chocolate (Buy in Chocolate Bar Form or Use Chocolate Chips) 8. 3 Large Eggs 9. 113 grams or 8 Tablespoons Melted Butter I split the recipe into three sections. Please read all steps before starting as you may want to start preheating your oven before making the cheesecake and brownie batters. How to Make the Matcha Cheesecake Swirl 1. In a small bowl mix together sugar, matcha powder, and salt until combined. Ensure there are no lumps as the matcha powder can clump easily. 2. Add the room temperature cream cheese and sugar mixture to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixture 3. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat mixture on a low speed to beat the until fluffy and smooth. Make sure there are no lumps 4. Add the egg and almond extract to the cream cheese mixture and mix on low-medium speed until fully combined. How to Make the Brownie Batter 1. In a small bowl mix together flour and salt. 2. Using a microwave, melt the butter in short 15 seconds bursts until completely liquid. 3. Place the melted butter in a large bowl and using a whisk, mix together with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder. 4. Whisk in the eggs one by one until fully combined. 5. Slowly add in the flour and mix together using a spatula. 6. Using a knife and chopping board, chop up the semisweet chocolate into 1 cm or 0.5 inch chunks. They do not have to be perfect, but they are perfect for making the brownies super fudgy and delicious! Knives are also inherently dangerous, so don’t be afraid to ask a parent or guardian for help chopping the chocolate. 7. Finally, mix in the chopped chocolate using the spatula. How to Swirl It All Together and Bake 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 176 degrees Celsius 2. Using vegetable oil, butter, or baking spray, grease a baking pan. The pan can additionally be lined with parchment paper. 3. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. 4. Using a spoon, place dollops of the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter. 5. Use a knife to swirl the cheesecake into the brownie batter. 6. Once the oven is up to temperature, bake the cheesecake brownies for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clear after being inserted into the brownie. Baking times will vary based on the size of the pan used. If using a large pan, check brownies after 20 minutes. 7. Let cool for 20 minutes and then ENJOY! If you like, you can also try experimenting with this recipe. Try replacing the chocolate chunks with white chocolate. The sweetness of white chocolate pairs quite well with matcha. If you want a fruity touch, add some dried cranberries in the cheesecake batter. If you are an almost fan, add some crushed walnuts to the brownie batter for some crunch. These Matcha Cheesecake Swirl Brownies are delicious and rich! They go great with a glass of Kau’s milk or some tea from the Coffee Cave. They also taste great on top of ice cream to make a brownie sundae! They would be especially good on top of some matcha ice cream. Illusen will be very happy and honoured you are celebrating her! Make your Illusen Day party a smashing success with these Matcha Cheesecake Swirl Brownies. All of your friends and even Jhudora will be green with envy. Make sure to buy some for your Neopets as well so they will not be left out!
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