Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts

February 6, 2016 2 Comments

I can’t believe it is already February and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Marc and I usually just like to have a low key dinner in with wine and something sweet for dessert. We don’t do gifts or flowers. Instead we make it more about having a night to just enjoy each other’s company with no distractions. So I got to work on a sweet treat that just was so perfect for Valentine’s Day romance! These red velvet cheesecake hearts were inspired by coming across my heart shaped cookie cutter going through my kitchen drawer the other day. It sounds and was totally random, which always seems to be how my favorite recipes happen.

I prepared the brownie batter for the red velvet cheesecake hearts first. It was so thick and gooey and chocolatey! Red food coloring made it the perfect color for Valentine's Day.
I prepared the brownie batter for the red velvet cheesecake hearts first. It was so thick and gooey and chocolatey! Red food coloring made it the perfect color for Valentine’s Day.
The luscious cheesecake batter was next. My secret to cheesecake is to mix in Greek yogurt. It gives it the perfect texture and just the right amount of tang!
The luscious cheesecake batter was next. My secret to cheesecake is to mix in Greek yogurt. It gives it the perfect texture and just the right amount of tang!
I used a springform pan for this operation so that it would be easy to release the red velvet cheesecake hearts. The brownie batter went in first, but I reserved about 1/4 cup of it. That remaining batter was swirled in with the cheesecake batter on top. It looked so pretty!
I used a springform pan for this operation so that it would be easy to release the red velvet cheesecake hearts. The brownie batter went in first, but I reserved about 1/4 cup of it. That remaining batter was swirled in with the cheesecake batter on top. It looked so pretty!
I let all of that goodness bake for about 30 minutes to puff up and get lightly golden around the edges. Once it cooled, I refrigerates the red velvet cheesecake for three hours to completely set.
I let all of that goodness bake for about 30 minutes to puff up and get lightly golden around the edges. Once it cooled, I refrigerated the red velvet cheesecake for three hours to completely set. Before I refrigerated it, I sprinkled the top with some red crystallized sugar for some extra sparkle. That way they would set in the cheesecake as it chilled.
Once it had chilled, it was time to cut out the red velvet cheesecake hearts! I ran my heart shaped cutter under the hottest water I had, then dried it with a paper towel. That helped to cut through the cheesecake cleanly. I cut them out as close together as possible to minimize scraps. I loved snacking on the scraps as I worked! Hubby had some too as part of my highly technical quality control.
Once it had chilled, it was time to cut out the red velvet cheesecake hearts! I ran my heart shaped cutter under the hottest water I had, then dried it with a paper towel. That helped to cut through the cheesecake cleanly. I cut them out as close together as possible to minimize scraps. I loved snacking on the scraps as I worked! Hubby had some too as part of my highly technical quality control.

Once they were cut out, the red velvet cheesecake hearts were ready to enjoy! Oh my goodness, they were so cute and scrumptious. They could not have been more perfect as an early Valentine’s Day treat here. Hope you all enjoy them with someone you love next weekend! xoxo

Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
5 from 1 vote
Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
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Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
 

These red velvet cheesecake hearts are so decadent, amazing and romantic! They're the perfect sweet treat for Valentine's Day.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cheesecake, Red Velvet, Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
Servings: 20 heart brownies
Calories: 162 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
FOR THE RED VELVET BROWNIE BATTER
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons butter sliced into 5 pieces
  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 fluid ounce red food coloring usually 1 little bottle
FOR THE CHEESECAKE BATTER
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • red crystallized sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch round springform pan liberally with butter or shortening. Then prepare the red velvet brownie batter first. Fill a small pot halfway with water and bring it to a gentle boil on the stove. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk it together. Set it aside. Then combine the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set it over the simmering water. Let it melt together as you gently stir it with a heat proof rubber spatula. Once it is smooth and shiny, take the bowl off of the heat. Let it cool for a minute, then whisk in the sugar, followed by the eggs and food coloring. Lastly, whisk in the dry ingredients just until they disappear and the batter is smooth. Set the batter aside.
  2. Next, prepare the cheesecake batter. Set up a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine the cream cheese and yogurt in its bowl and beat them together until smooth and fluffy. Add in the sugar and vanilla and let them get mixed in well. Then pour in each egg one at a time and let them get mixed in well too. Finish with the flour and let it all get well combined and smooth. Set the batter aside.
  3. Take the brownie batter and reserve a 1/4 cup. Pour the rest into the greased cake pan and smooth it out into a thin, even later. Pour the cheesecake batter over it into another layer. Take the reserved 1/4 cup of brownie batter and drizzle it all over the cheesecake layer. Use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the cheesecake batter. Bake the cheesecake brownies for about 30 minutes, until set and baked through. The cheesecake will just start to get golden around the edges. Take it out and let it cool for 30 minutes before releasing it from the springform pan. Sprinkle the top liberally with crystallized red sugar for some extra sparkle. Transfer it to a cake plate with a dome to seal it and let it refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
  4. Once it has chilled, it's time to take it out and cut out the heart shaped brownies! Grab a heart shaped cookie cutter that's about 2-3 inches wide at the widest part. Run it under the hottest water you can, then dry it with a paper towel. This helps to cut through the cheesecake cleanly. Cut out heart shaped brownies as close together as possible to yield as many brownies as you can. I got 20 out of mine, but this might vary depending on the size of your heart shaped cutter. The scraps are great to sample as you work! Serve them immediately for a sweet, romantic treat! They will also keep for a couple of days sealed in the refrigerator. Make sure they are in a single layer so that the red velvet brownies don't flake off on the pretty swirling.
Nutrition Facts
Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
Amount Per Serving (1 heart)
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 84
% Daily Value*
Fat 9.3g14%
Saturated Fat 5.6g35%
Cholesterol 53mg18%
Sodium 99mg4%
Potassium 45mg1%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 13.5g15%
Protein 3g6%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts
Red Velvet Cheesecake Hearts

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)