Here comes the fun, marbled part. Pour the cheesecake batter evenly over the unbaked brownie base in the pan. Now, take your 1/2 cup of salted caramel sauce. Drop spoonfuls of it randomly over the surface of the cheesecake layer. Using the tip of a knife or a toothpick, gently swirl the caramel into the cheesecake batter. Don’t over-swirl! You want beautiful ribbons, not a muddy mixture. I learned this the hard way—a few gentle figure-eight motions are all you need. Finally, sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be set and the center to have a slight, gentle jiggle when you gently shake the pan—like Jell-O. The top will be lightly golden. A toothpick inserted will come out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). The smell is intoxicating. Once baked, remove the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Drizzle with a little extra caramel sauce and sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight. This chill is non-negotiable—it allows the layers to fully set so you can cut clean, stunning bars.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested the swirling technique three ways: swirling the caramel into the cheesecake layer before pouring it on the brownie base, swirling it on top after pouring, and dropping the caramel and then swirling. Dropping the caramel onto the cheesecake layer already in the pan and then swirling gave the most defined, beautiful marbling that stayed layered.
Here’s what I learned the hard way about the cream cheese: even if it feels soft on the outside, the inside can still be cool. To ensure it’s perfectly room temperature, I cut the block into small cubes and let it sit on the counter for an hour. This guarantees a lump-free, silky cheesecake layer every single time.
For the cleanest cuts, use a sharp knife and run it under very hot water, wiping it dry between each slice. This slices through the dense, cold layers like butter and gives you those gorgeous, professional-looking slices with sharp edges and visible layers.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
My first batch had a sunken, dense cheesecake layer because I used cold cream cheese and overbeat the mixture trying to smooth out the lumps. Don’t do what I did. Cold cream cheese will never become smooth, and overbeating after adding the egg incorporates too much air, which then deflates in the oven.(See the next page below to continue…)