If you’ve never tried chocolate and passionfruit together, please allow me to convince you that this flavour combination is truly one of the best. It’s one of those slightly unexpected, not-quite-mainstream pairings that just works. The bright, tangy, tropical flavour cuts right through the richness of the dark chocolate, creating a beautiful balanced flavour profile. And these Passionfruit Cheesecake Brownies are an absolutely delicious way to showcase that magic!

I first tried this flavour in the form of a French macaron at my favourite patisserie. It was my absolute favourite afternoon treat when I worked near La Renaissance in the Rocks. That was over a decade ago, and it has stayed with me ever since. I’ve loved experimenting with it in my own baking for years, from this Momofuku inspired cake to a delicious self-saucing pudding with passionfruit ice cream.

I also love that this flavour combination works equally well whether you lean more into the chocolate flavour, or the passionfruit. Somehow the balance is great either way. The fresh passionfruit have also been excellent this summer and I can’t seem to stop buying them!

What’s in these Passionfruit Cheesecake Brownies?

The base is a rich cocoa-based brownie recipe, originally from the legendary Alton Brown. I love having this one in my repertoire because it comes together with basic pantry ingredients that I always have on hand. And I know that this recipe is always going to please a crowd! I’ve made it a lot and it turns out so deliciously fudgy every time. I promise you don’t miss the melted chocolate at all! Just make sure to use good quality cocoa powder. It is the dominant flavour and I think you’ll regret using one that you don’t really love. Also, try not to overbake them. They are perfectly done when a skewer comes out with a few sticky crumbs attached. Not completely clean, but also not with batter that is still wet. You want them fudgy, but not still raw!

The creamy cheesecake filling is just great on its own. It ‘sets’ thanks to the addition of an egg and a little flour. The cheesecake makes the brownies feel extra luxurious… I mean regular old brownies are still pretty great, but this one is honestly something special. The trick in this recipe is to add each of the batters in large dollops and only swirl the cheesecake very gently into the brownie batter. You only want to marble them together, not combine them. That way you can see thick ribbons of each and get a nice contrast between the dark and light colours.

You could definitely make it without any extra flavourings added… but this version has passionfruit juice swirled through the cheesecake. The flavour is a little more subtle but definitely present. I also love to add fresh passionfruit pulp on top of the brownie for a more intense burst of flavour.

One thing I love about brownies is that they are perfect as they are, and portable enough for your picnic basket. But if you wanted to dress them up, all they need is a generous scoop of ice cream to turn them into an impressive dessert.

Related Post: Homemade Passionfruit Curd

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Passionfruit Cheesecake Brownies

Passionfruit Cheesecake Brownies, a perfect balance of rich fudgy chocolate and bright tropical passionfruit cheesecake in every bite!

Course Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack

Keyword Afternoon Tea, Bars, Brownies and Blondies, Chocolate, Summer

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

Brownies

• 1 cup white (granulated) sugar (220g)
• 1 cup brown sugar (160g)
• 1 cup cocoa, sifted (115g)
• ½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted (85g)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 220 g butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 250 g cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup white (granulated) sugar (75g)
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• ¼ cup passionfruit, juice only, seeds discarded
• 3 tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose)
• Passionfruit pulp, to serve (about 2-3 passionfruit)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 21cm (8 inch) square baking pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. To make the brownies, whisk together the two kinds of sugars until no lumps remain, set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour and salt, set aside.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in vanilla and both sugars, and beat to combine. Mix in melted butter, then incorporate flour and cocoa mixture until combined. Set aside.
5. To make the cheesecake layer, place softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, vanilla and passionfruit juice, into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Add the flour and mix until just combined.
6. Pour half of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Alternately add large dollops of the cheesecake and remaining brownie mixture until both mixtures are all used. Using a chopstick or skewer, very gently marble the two mixtures together. Don’t be tempted to marble too much – you want the two mixtures to contrast, not mix in together.

7. Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out a little crumbly (not wet batter). You’re better to underbake than overbake.

8. Remove from the oven and cool. Decorate with extra passionfruit pulp. Wait until the brownie has completely cooled before cutting into 12 or 16 portions.