Recipe | Cheesecake Brownies

Ever get that moment where you can't decide between a cheesecake and a brownie? This is a constant for me in my life.... however, I have just solved it.

Everytime I visit Aidan's family in Berwick I take a sweet treat with me - I had promised his brother a cheesecake or brownie concoction after he helped me out with the website and my other bakes had been teasing him on instagram.

After having a search around for inspiration I stumbled across this recipe which was the best of both worlds. Vanilla baked cheesecake and a gooey chocolate brownie.

The only way I can describe these are tiny squares of gooey heaven. If that hasn't sold them to you then I'm not sure what will.

P.s Please excuse the tupperware and Scotrail sponsored background - These were made about ten minutes before my train departed and were still baking hot when we reached Berwick, after which they promptly disappeared. Snapping them on the train was my only option!

Ingredients

For the brownies

225g/8oz dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
150g/5½oz unsalted butter
3 free-range eggs
225g/8oz caster sugar
100ml/3½fl oz strong espresso
100g/3½oz plain flour

For the cheesecake
150g/5½oz full fat cream cheese
50g/1¾oz caster sugar
1 free-range egg

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Grease and line a 8in/20cm square cake tin.

For the brownies, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Don't let the bowl touch the water, I have done this far too often and you end up with chocolate gravel.) Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool.

Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and coffee in a bowl and then sift in the flour and chocolate mixture and mix until well combined. (Try not to eat any - I failed).

For the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese, caster sugar, egg until smooth (Again, try not to eat any).

Spoon the brownie mixture into the cake tin then spoon the cheesecake mixture on top and use a knife to cut lines into the mixture to create a marble effect (This is where you're allowed to lick the bowl).

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until just set. Remove the tin from the oven, set aside to cool completely, then cut into squares.

Been To | Glasgow Gin Club

Gin and I have a love hate relationship. I love it, I just hate what it does to me. When Lauren invited me to meet her in Glasgow for a drink I was excited, when I found out exactly what the drink entailed I was more than excited.

We were off to the Glasgow Gin Club, a collection of gin lovers that meet in various locations and are always trying new gin.

This week is was No.3 in a hairdressers! A great place to have a gathering for a snap happy blogger...

The evening started off with a No. 3 and fever-tree tonic (my favourite!) and Amanda from No. 3 giving us an amazing talk through the history of the brand and how they make gin.

We then got handed a glass with straight No. 3 in - something which I was dreading - I just can't do spirits straight!

I got an incredibly pleasant surprise. Yes, it was strong. But it was delicious and I loved being able to really taste the gin.

After this Amanda shared with us the spices they put into No. 3 to make it so special and it was great to see the ingredients in a raw form, smelling each one and being able to place it in the gin we had to taste.

Following the talk we were presented with some amazing cocktails all made with my new favourite - No. 3! First off we had a Negroni - this smelled like christmas in a cup. It was incredibly strong and full of spices. I enjoyed it but a few sips in and I had had enough for the evening!

If the Negroni had been christmas in a cup the next cocktail was heaven in a cup. We were served No.3 with tonic, lime, lemongrass and coriander.

So fresh.

It was like cut-grass made tasty and I was desperate for a huge plate of mexican food to nibble alongside it.

After being treated to gin after gin Lauren and I were two very happy ladies and toddled off back to the station to head to our beds.

If you're in the Glasgow Area and a gin lover like us then all the information you need for the Glasgow Gin Club is right here.

Eaten At | Hard Rock Cafe

One thing you have all realised about me is I love food, not only do I love food I can eat a LOT. I amaze myself sometimes at the amount I can find room for and, I had never been beaten. 

Until now.

Hard Rock Cafe has done it. 

Having a girly shopping day in Glasgow Lauren and I popped into Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. 

Whilst perusing the menu we decided to do the decent thing and treated ourselves to some cocktails. Being completely indecisive we decided to go for three mini margaritas with tortilla chips and salsa. 

There was a huuuge choice of flavours but I plumped for Mango, Pomegranate and Blue Curacao (can't resist a blue drink). I am so please I did - when they arrivied I was like a kid in a sweetshop - I didn't know which one to try first!

The Blue Curacao was definitely my favourite, they were all full of alcohol and incredibly tasty. Perfectly balanced with the salted glass rims and tortilla chips.

Because we just can't get enough of tortilla chips we decided to order the Nachopalooza with beef brisket for our starter. 

Word of warning: this is not a stater. It is a plate, no, tray of nachos big enough to feed a family of four a decent lunch. 

I absolutely loved them. Nachos with three bean mix, Monterey Jack, Jalepenos, Green Onion... the list goes on. You know how some places skrimp on the toppings with nachos? Hard Rock definitely doesn't....

See what I mean? The toppings were absolutely devine too. I'm a sucker for beef brisket (Bread Meats Bread knows this well.) and have never had it on nachos before. I'll definitely be having it again! We made it through about half of the plate before giving in...

Our Hickory-smoked barbecue combos soon arrived, I went for the ribs and pulled pork and, purely because of the size of the chain, I wasn't expecting much in terms of flavour. I was so wrong! The BBQ sauce was tangy and moreish, the meat was moist, tender and full of flavour.

For me however the star of the show was... the coleslaw! I have no idea what HRC do to it but it was the freshest and creamiest coleslaw I have ever eaten. I'll definitely be back for more! One question if any HRC-ers are reading this - what do you put in it? I need your secret recipe!

By the end of our mains we were completely beaten, even the little space I ususally save for pudding had been used for meat. We savoured the rest of our cocktails and then rolled out onto the rainy streets of Glasgow for some much needed shopping.

If there is a lesson learned from this meal it is that Hard Rock Cafe are never stingy. I was completely beaten by their bbq-ey meaty goodness and enjoyed every second of it.

Update | Lucy Has Been MIA

Some of you may or may not have noticed I've been a little MIA lately...

After starting a new job in social media, moving flats and being a busy bee this summer A Spectator Sport did fall a little by the wayside but with everything finally settled down I'm back and bursting with ideas!

In the meantime here is a little photo update of what I've been up to...

A few of our colleagues roped us into playing 5 a-side for Africa on the Ball. We got a nice team photo for the wall...

And then a not so nice team photo... for fun. 

 A week or so after that as part of my previous job I got to organise the Clubs and Societies Ball, this year a 'Skyball' James Bond themed party...

Aidan and I both dressed up nice and fancy for the event.

We had some nice and fancy food too, loved the puddings!

After the Clubs and Societies ball it was the Sports Ball and the turn of Bex to organise the party, this time in Murrayfield! Aidan and I had another chance to dress all fancy...

The puddings were just as fancy too...

And eaten slightly differently...

I've also been out and about a lot in Glasgow and Edinburgh visiting friends and relatives. In Edinburgh recently the statues had some interesting headgear...

St Andrews square was filled with a pretty installation - we didn't get to hang around to see if they lit up. Anyone any idea if they do?!

You may be wondering what on earth I'veeaten over the past few weeks?! Well, I've been a bad blogger but not that bad - I have plenty of tempting pictures waiting to be sorted through and blogged about, I can feel my tummy rumbling at the thought of it all!