Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

I found this recipe floating around the inter-web so I'm not sure who to give credit for it.  I do have to say to whoever came up with this recipe:

☆.•♥•This is HEAVEN in a Cheesecake form•♥•☆

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Brownie Crust:

        6 Tbs Unsalted Butter, melted
        1 1/4 cups Sugar
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
        2 Eggs
        1 cup Flour
        1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
        1/2 tsp Baking Powder
        1/2 tsp Salt

        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

Cheesecake Filling:

        2 lbs Cream Cheese, softened
        5 Eggs, at room temperature
        1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, firmly packed
        1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter (not natural-style)
        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Decoration:

        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

         6 Peanut Butter Cups, cut carefully in half


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F .
2. Grease 9-inch Springform pan with butter.
3. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with spoon or wire whisk. 
4. Add eggs; stir until well blended. 
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. 
6. Spread in prepared pan.
7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from side of pan. 
8. Meanwhile make cheesecake layer (see below).
9. Immediately after removing brownie from oven, sprinkle milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups over brownie surface. 
10. Spoon cheesecake mixture over chips. 
11. Turn down oven 325°.

Cheesecake Filling: (makes extra)

1. Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; 
4. Mix until smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Pour filling into prepared crust.

IF SOME BATTER IS LEFT OVER, EITHER STORE OR PUT IN SMALLER SPRINGFORM PAN.

Directions, continued:

1. Double-wrap Springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water seeping inches.
2. Place Springform pan into a larger baking pan.
3. Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the Springform pan.
4. Bake at 325 degrees 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
6. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before decorating.

Decoration: (makes a lot extra-try using it on individual slices after cutting).

1. Remove cake from pan and put on a pretty plate.
2. Bring whipping cream to boil in a small saucepan.
3. Remove from heat and add semi-sweet and peanut butter chips. 
4. Stir, stir, stir until melted and smooth.
5. Drizzle over cake
6. Add peanut butter cup halves around the edge of the cake.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid