Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies*

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cheesecake part of this recipe--

• 2 (8 oz.) packages (full-fat variety) cream cheese, at room temp.
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup (regular, not light) sour cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork

For the Brownie part of this recipe--

• 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar (I used 1 and 2/3 cups sugar today, and that was enough.)
• 1 cup cocoa (I used Hershey's).  I always sift cocoa, or run it through a screen to eliminate any lumps.
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I prefer to use the aluminum-free kind)
• 1 TABLESPOON vanilla
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten 
• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325.  Lightly butter a 9x13" pan.  Set aside.

First, make the cheesecake mixture: 

1. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until it's 'smooooooth'.  
2. Add the pumpkin, sugar, vanilla and spices; beat until smooth. 
3. On low speed, add in the sour cream and eggs until well combined.  Set aside.

Now, make the brownie part:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the sugar and stir (or whisk) over medium to low heat just until butter and sugar are combined and hot, but not bubbly.  You'll only need to heat it for a couple of minutes; until the mixture looks shiny.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla.  Let cool for about five minutes so it won't be as hot for the addition of the eggs as in the next step.  
3. Whisk in the eggs until smooth.  Stir in the flour.
4. Pour about 3/4 of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan.  Spread out smoothly.  
5. Pour the cheesecake batter over the brownie layer and spread evenly.
6. Drop the remaining brownie batter by dollops on top of the cheesecake layer. 
7.  Use the blade of a kitchen knife to swirl the brownie dollops into the cheesecake, making a pretty, swirly pattern.
8. Sprinkle the top of the swirled pattern with the chocolate chips.  Like this...

                             

Bake for 35 minutes or so, until the cheesecake layer is set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack, then chill and store in the refrigerator.  

Below:  Baked, mine looked like this...

                               

Below:  Cut, they looked like this...

* Today's version (recipe) of/for these bars was adapted (with very minor changes) from Bridget's recipe/post at:  http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2012/11/pumpkin-cheesecake-brownies.html     There, I read that the 'brownie layer' for this came from the  King Arthur Cookie Companion   (THANKS, Bridget!!!)