Peanut Butter Brownie Cheesecake

BROWNIE CRUST
3 oz unsweetened chocolate -- chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- cut in small pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour -- sifted
1/8 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 oz semisweet chocolate -- finely chopped

FILLING
12 oz lowfat cream cheese -- room temp
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter

TOPPING
3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

FOR CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350�F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Dust pan lightly with flour; tap out excess. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat. Cool. Mix together flour, salt and baking powder in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in medium bowl until slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in melted chocolate mixture, vanilla and chopped chocolate. Add dry ingredients and mix until just blended; do not overbeat.

Spread 1 cup brownie batter over bottom of prepared pan. Bake until firm, about 17 minutes. Cool baked bottom crust in pan in freezer, about 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Meanwhile, prepare FILLING: Blend cream cheese and sugar in processor until smooth. Add eggs and sour cream and process using on/off turns until mixture is smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Blend in peanut butter using on/off turns.

Using small knife, spread remaining brownie batter evenly around sides of pan, sealing batter to bottom crust. Pour in filling, which will not be as high as brownie batter. Bake until center of cheesecake is gently set and brownie sides have fallen to form a 1-inch-wide ring around filling, about 30 minutes.

FOR TOPPING: Blend sour cream and sugar in small bowl. Spread evenly over cheesecake to within 3/4 inch of edge. Bake cheesecake 1 minute more.

Set cake on rack. Using small sharp knife, cut around top edge of cake to loosen from pan sides. Cool completely. Place peanut butter in pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe tiny rosettes of peanut butter around edge of sour cream. Refrigerate cake until rosettes are firm, about 30 minutes. Cover pan tightly with foil and chill overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Release sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

AUTHOR: Jerseygirl