This is a heavenly chocolate recipe – dense, rich brownies paired with a not-as-sweet, creamy cream cheese mix. The chocolate and the cream cheese balance each other out – that’s the key. Adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe, per this website. Note: I can’t get unsweetened baking chocolate in the UK, so I’ve substitute cocoa powder and butter, per the conversion on this website, it worked just fine.
Ingredients
For the brownie batter
- 2/3 c flour
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/2 t baking powder
- 120 g bittersweet chocolate (I used 85% cocoa chocolate)
- 35 g cocoa powder
- 125 g lightly salted buter
- 1 c sugar
- 2 t vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
For the cheesecake batter
- 450g cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 c sugar
- 1 t vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 165C/325F. Coat the bottom of an 8″ square baking pan with baking spray, lay down an 8×16″ piece of foil to coat the bottom and sides (folding over the sides for handles), and coat the inside of the foil with baking spray.
- Whisk cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine bittersweet chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl, and melt gently until silky smooth.
- Whisk in 1 c sugar, 2 t vanilla, and eggs (one at a time).
- Whisk in dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated – do not overmix.
- In another bowl, mix cream cheese, 1/4 c sugar, 1 t vanilla, and egg yolk.
- Pour half of brownie batter into prepared pan, then drop half the cream cheese mixture throughout the batter in spoonfulls, distributing evenly. Swirl cream cheese mixture through batter with a a table knife or spoon.
- Pour remaining half of brownie batter into pan, drop remaining cream cheese filling throughout, and swirl, creating a marbled effect.
- Bake in oven for 50-60 minutes, until brownies have puffed slightly, and a knife inserted into the middle comes out with moist crumbs (or a tiny amount of batter). The center should feel not quite firm – it’s better to have them come out undercooked than overcooked. Cool 5 minutes before eating.