Does this look like a piece of art you'd like on your wall?

Likely not on the wall of your bathroom. But how about your kitchen?


No, seriously, it isn't art. It's just a picture of some very delicious brownies that I had made as my back-up entry for Browniebabe #3, but did not submit because I didn't know if I could enter two brownies in one month. And since Tartelette won that round of Browniebabe with her marbled brownies, I didn't want to save these for the next round.

For some reason I was in cheesecake mode when it came to making brownies for that round. First I made my mini-brownie cheesecakes, and then I made these cream cheese brownies. Yes, I like cheesecake!

The recipe for this brownie came from the Joy of Baking website. I love this site. I love the pictures, I love the organization, I love the food!

Of course my Cream Cheese Brownies don't look much like those pictured on the site, but I bet they tasted just as good (if not better!) These brownies were amazingly good. They were rich and decadent without being overwhelming. A small bite could melt inside your mouth, with the slight tart of the cream cheese waking up the tastebuds, while the chocolate soothed the tang.

I realize the recipe says the brownies can last several days in the fridge, but it's wrong. They might last several days in the fridge, but that would mean they wouldn't have been devoured before they had the chance. Which is much more likely to happen than there being left over brownies!

Cream Cheese Brownies
from JoyofBaking.com

Brownie Layer:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces (114 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (70 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.

In a stainless steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon) after each addition. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about one minute). Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Place the remainder of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Then in the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process until creamy and smooth. Spread the cream cheese filling over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without mixing them.

Bake in the preheated oven 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 beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours). Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. These brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Makes about 16 - 2 inch squares.