Poppy seed cheesecake brownie: A bittersweet Christmas treat
In central European Christmas tradition, poppy seeds play an important symbolic role. They are meant not only to ensure the health of the whole family but also to serve as a connection to the souls of the deceased. Hidden in Christmas Eve dishes, they offer a symbolic remembrance of loved ones who are no longer with us. For the holidays, I add a handful to cheesecake brownie batter to honor this tradition.
Poppy seed cheesecake brownie combines the new with the old and traditional. A delicious chocolate base is covered by a creamy cheese layer to which I add a handful of ground poppy seeds. The cake is topped with melted dark chocolate and decorated with homemade candied orange peel.
How to combine cheesecake brownie with poppy seeds?
You can prepare the cake in two ways. In the easier method, you add the ground poppy seeds to the cheese mixture. Just 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds are enough to adorn the cake with their characteristic speckles. If you want a separate poppy seed layer, soak the poppy seeds in milk, mix with honey, and combine with half of the cheese mixture. On the baked brownie base, first, lay the white layer, and then put the poppy seed layer on top.
Prepare candied orange peel yourself
In the pre-Christmas period, oranges are found in every home. To not waste their delicious peel, prepare it as an aromatic addition to the cake. From orange peels, separate the white pith, and then cut into small cubes or fancy strips. Transfer the peels into a pot, add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. Cook until achieving a syrup-like consistency.
Recipe for cheesecake brownie speckled with poppy seeds
First, prepare the chocolate base for the cake, and then the curd mixture with the addition of seeds from a vanilla pod.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour,
- 7 ounces of butter,
- 7 ounces of sugar,
- 8 eggs,
- 7 ounces of dark chocolate,
- 2 tablespoons cocoa,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- 2.2 pounds of triple-ground curd cheese,
- seeds from a vanilla pod,
- 5 fluid ounces of heavy cream,
- 1 package of sugar-free vanilla pudding,
- 0.7 ounces of ground poppy seeds.
Instructions:
- Melt 1.8 ounces of chocolate in a pot, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa and 3.5 ounces of butter. When the ingredients combine, remove from heat to cool.
- In a bowl, beat 3 eggs with a mixer. Add 0.5 cup of sugar. Mix until fluffy.
- Mix the flour with baking powder and add to the beaten eggs. Combine the ingredients with a spoon. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.
- Pour the batter into an 8 x 12-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes. Once the base is baked, remove the pan and reduce the oven temperature to 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the ground curd cheese with the melted and cooled remaining butter (3.5 ounces). Add the vanilla pudding and 3.4 fluid ounces of heavy cream. Combine the ingredients with a mixer.
- In a separate bowl, beat the remaining eggs with the remaining sugar. Combine with the cheese mixture. Finally, stir in the seeds from the vanilla pod and 2 tablespoons of ground poppy seeds.
- Spread the cheese with poppy seeds on the prebaked base and place it in the oven at the reduced temperature of 320 degrees Fahrenheit for 70 minutes. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the cake in it to cool.
- Melt the remaining chocolate in a water bath. Mix with the cream. Cover the cooled cake with a smooth glaze.
