Cheesecake Brownies

1. Place the walnuts on a cutting board and chop them roughly with a sharp knife, or use a blender/food processor to pulse them for a few seconds, being careful not to turn them into flour. Transfer the chopped walnuts to a bowl.

1. Place the chocolate on a cutting board and cut it into small pieces with a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to chop it for a few seconds.

1. Place the chopped chocolate, butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir constantly until the chocolate and butter are fully melted, and the sugar begins to dissolve, creating a smooth mixture. This process takes about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the bain-marie and let the mixture cool to a lukewarm temperature (approximately 37°C). Check using your finger or a kitchen thermometer (this takes around 10 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare a rectangular baking tin (36 x 24 cm): line the base with baking paper and grease the edges with butter or oil.

1. Incorporate the eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time, mixing well with a whisk or spatula after each addition until fully combined.

1. Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and sprinkle in the salt. Gently fold everything together with a spatula, using an upward and downward motion, until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.

1. Add the chopped walnuts and gently fold everything together with a spatula. Pour ⅔ of the batter into the prepared baking tin, and transfer the remaining batter to a separate bowl. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Preparation method for Cheesecake

1. Place the softened butter, sugar, vanilla essence, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix with a hand or stand mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

1. Add the cream cheese and mix for 20 seconds at medium speed. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter. Drop the remaining brownie batter in dollops over the light mixture, and gently swirl them together using the handle of a spoon to create a marbled effect.

1. Bake the cake for approximately 40 minutes at 180°C. Remove from the oven, let it cool completely in the tin, then remove it from the tin, cut into pieces, and serve.