Cream Cheese Brownies

This was another of the baking treats we made for the wedding guests.  My mother had it served to her at some gathering and has been obsessed with them since.

Preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare a 9″ square baking pan with aluminum foil.

Chop up about 4 oz (four squares) unsweetened or dark baking chocolate, and cube up 1/2 cup butter.  Mmm, chocolate and butter …

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water.

When fully melted, remove it from the heat. 

Stir in 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Add in 2 eggs, one at a time.

Then stir in 1/2 cup flour.

When the batter is smooth and glossy from  your industrious stirring, then you’re ready for the next step.

Remove half a cup of the brownie mixture and set it aside for a while.

Spread the rest of the brownie batter evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.

Now, in another bowl, with the aid of an electric mixer, process 8 oz plain cream cheese (about a package) until it’s smooth.

Add in 1/3 cup sugar and another egg.

Process that until it’s super creamy and smooth. Spread the cream cheese layer over the brownie layer.

Take spoonfuls of your reserved brownie mixture and drizzle it all over the cream cheese layer. 

Using a knife or a wooden skewer, swirl the two batters.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool.  Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares. 

Lift the brownies out of the pan using the edges of the aluminum foil and slice into squares.  You may need to clean off your knife a few times so it doesn’t cling to the knife. 

You can keep the brownies in the fridge for several days.