Brownie-bottom Lemon Cheesecake

Total Time: 24 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 24 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• nonstick vegetable cooking spray
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (54% to 60% cacao)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup sour cream
• bittersweet chocolate curls or bittersweet chocolate shavings
• 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

Recipe

• 1 preparation for crust:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f
• 3 spray inside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-to 3-inch-high sides with nonstick spray.
• 4 whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
• 5 combine chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl; place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth.
• 6 remove bowl from over water.
• 7 add both sugars to chocolate mixture and whisk until blended.
• 8 let cool until mixture is barely lukewarm, about 10 minutes.
• 9 whisk egg and vanilla into chocolate mixture.
• 10 fold flour mixture into chocolate mixture.
• 11 spread brownie batter evenly over bottom of prepared pan.
• 12 bake brownie crust until top looks slightly cracked and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes.
• 13 transfer pan to rack; cool crust to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• 14 maintain oven temperature.
• 15 for filling:
• 16 place pan with cooled crust on rimmed baking sheet.
• 17 using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
• 18 add sugar, flour, lemon peel, and lemon juice; beat until smooth.
• 19 add eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until incorporated after each addition.
• 20 beat in 1/2 cup sour cream and whipping cream.
• 21 pour filling over brownie crust in pan; smooth top.
• 22 bake cake until puffed, light golden, and set around edges (center will still move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• 23 remove cake from oven.
• 24 maintain oven temperature.
• 25 for topping:.
• 26 spoon 1 cup sour cream in dollops over top of cake, then spread evenly over top with offset spatula.
• 27 return cake to oven and bake 5 minutes.
• 28 run small sharp knife around sides of cake to loosen.
• 29 place pan with cake directly in refrigerator and chill uncovered overnight (cake may sink in center).
• 30 * do ahead: can be made 2 days ahead; keep chilled.
• 31 remove pan sides from cake.
• 32 run thin sharp knife between pan bottom and crust to loosen.
• 33 using 2 metal spatulas as aid, transfer cake to platter.
• 34 garnish top edge of cake with chocolate curls and lemon slices.