LATE NIGHT BAKES: Cherry Jam-Swirled Cheesecake Brownies

Bake therapy, our homemade all-purpose cleaner (for rage or RAVE cleaning), and why crying is a superpower

Nov 14, 2024

If you’re looking for cheesecake brownies that are rich, and nearly as much cheesecake as they are brownies, hello!—you’ve stumbled into the correct newsletter this week. Grab yourself a glass of almond milk and join me in the kitchen so you can bake out your feelings in silence, with music blasting, in candlelight—whatever feels best. Maybe even let out some tears while you’re at it.

Cherry Jam Cheesecake Brownies

Serves 16 (or 9, if it’s been (and for most, it has) a particularly tough week)

These brownies are adapted from the brownie recipe I wrote for TheKitchn from a time when I was baking way too many brownies.

While I was shopping at Natural Grocers recently, I saw a shiny jar of sour cherry jam peering coyly from the shelf. My mouth started to water, and I could already taste what I wanted to create with it. The jar went straight into my cart to later be swirled into these cheesecake brownies—the tartness of the cherries balances out the richness of the chocolate and cream cheese nicely.

Equipment:

Golden Cake Pan: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro 9”, Nonstick Square Cake Pan. I personally love this pan because it begins to cool immediately out of the oven.

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1, 8-ounce package of plain cream cheese, (at room temperature)
4 large eggs, divided (at room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces (3/4 cup) bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped 65 to 70% dark chocolate
2/3 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all purpose flour
2 to 3 tbsp sour cherry jam (we used Crofter’s Morello Cherry Jam)
Flakey salt for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions:

Prep: Heat the oven 325°F and butter a 9-inch square metal baking pan. Set it aside.
Make the cheesecake layer: In a mini food processor (or in a medium mixing bowl) add the softened cream cheese, 1 large egg, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and blend (or whisk) until completely smooth and somewhat runny. Set it aside.
Melt the chocolate: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and add the chocolate, stirring until melted. Set it aside.
Beat the eggs and sugar: In a stand mixer bowl (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer) add the remaining 3 large eggs, remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, and kosher salt and beat on high for 8 to 10 full minutes until thick, voluminous, and pale-brown in color.
Add the melted chocolate: Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly drizzle in the chocolate mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour: Remove the bowl from the stand, and sift the flour over the batter. Fold it in with a spatula until just combined.
Swirl the layers together: Transfer the batter to the pan and spread evenly with the spatula. Using a large spoon, spoon the cream cheese mixture all across the top. Then, add small dollops of the cherry jam across the top. Use the back of the spoon to swirl the jam and cheesecake into the brownie batter, creating a marbled effect without fully mixing.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cream cheese filling is fully set and no longer jiggles. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely on the counter before transferring to the fridge to chill overnight. Cut into 9 to 16 squares, sprinkle with flakey salt if you like, and enjoy! These would be the a great finger dessert to serve at a holiday party.
*The dish towel from my Anthropologie Collection making an appearance.

“Rage” or “Rave” Cleaning?

Have you heard of rage cleaning? It’s the act of channeling frustration or stress into a thorough home declutter. It’s a double win, because you get to blow off steam with no consequences while also getting a sparkly clean home to relax in afterwards. For maximum efficiency Apartment Therapy suggests playing loud (preferably aggro music), picking a specific task or area to focus on, and working in short, intense bursts.

My sister and I actually had our own version of this as kids, but it was more like RAVE cleaning. At ages four and five, we’d blast Kris Kross’ “Jump” and scream the lyrics as we raced around the room together to put our toys away before the short chorus was over and/or we ran out of oxygen. These cleaning sessions got the job done fast.

Whether you prefer rage cleaning or rave cleaning, give it your all this week with our homemade, all-purpose cleaner. It’s simple, effective, and free from harmful chemicals.

Eric’s All-Purpose Cleaner

Combine the following ingredients in a large spray bottle, shake well, and use on countertops, floors, baseboards, walls, or anywhere else you typically use your all-purpose cleaner.

3 cups water (preferably distilled)
3/4 cup rubbing alcohol
1 tbsp Dr. Bonners Peppermint Soap (or other all-natural dish soap)
45 drops lavender or orange essential oil

Crying as Ritual:

I’ve come to truly appreciate the power of crying. It’s actually a superpower and a great way to help manifest the things you want in life. As I mentioned in previous newsletters, manifestation works best when you’re in a neutral, surrendered state, and crying happens when the body finally surrenders. When you’re overwhelmed by intense emotions, it acts like a reset button, clearing out pent-up energies, and allowing your body and mind to reach a state of calm. Sometimes, when I feel a lot of tension or discomfort and don’t know how to release it, I just cry—not because I’m sad, necessarily, but because I know that afterward, I’ll feel lighter, more relaxed, and ready for bed. So, don’t be afraid to cry with intention tonight if you need to. Let it be a tool for emotional release and renewal.

This Week’s Glimmers:

Despite the destabilizing events of the past week, I still managed to find time to ground myself and enjoy a few simple pleasures. (1) We went to a concert by candlelight where the quartet preformed some of our old favorite Neo soul/Hip-Hop songs by violin including John Legend’s Ordinary People and Alicia Key’s Unthinkable. (2) I found peaches the size of my hand, (3) I rubbed Christophers cute little fluffy toes, (4) Eric made another one of his delicious, hearty loaves of sourdough, and (5) we even received this glorious Butter Yellow 6-quart cast iron dutch oven from The Goldilocks x Anastasia Inciardi Collaboration*

Don’t forget to record your own glimmer list this week!

*Goldilocks Kitchenware, the award-winning, budget-friendly cookware and kitchen tools line and Anastasia (Ana) Inciardi, a linocut food printmaker and creator of The Mini Print Vending Machine, debuted an exclusive Butter Yellow Dutch Oven featuring Ana’s beloved print, Inciardi Tomatoes, a sentimental print that nods to Ana’s ancestors who helped cultivate this tomato variety generations ago.

Thanks for reading!