Cream Cheese Brownies.......12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies: Week 7

After 6 weeks of making cookies, I had to make a change.  And, in my book, there is no better change than brownies.  Brownies are one of my family's favorite treats.  I wanted to make brownies with a little something extra.  That something extra is cream cheese.  If you have never had the combination of cream cheese and brownies, you need to make these soon.  These brownies are in between cake-like and fudgy.  Full of chocolate flavor along with the slightly tangy cream cheese layers make a fantastic brownie.  

Click here for the printable recipe on Marthastewart.com.

Cream Cheese Brownies

Recipe by Martha Stewart

16 Squares

Ingredients

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
1 cup plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped ( I used Baker's Semisweet Chocolate )
4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or spray with cooking spray. Line bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two sides. Butter paper, and set pan aside. In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.Place 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes; remove bowl from pan. Add 1 1/4 cups sugar; mix to combine. Add 3 eggs, and mix to combine. Add flour and cocoa mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix).

3.Prepare cream-cheese mixture: Whisk bar cream cheese with 2 tablespoons room-temperature butter. Whisk in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Alternately spoon chocolate batter and cream-cheese mixture into pan; with the tip of a paring knife, swirl to marble.

4.Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 60 minutes. ( check after 45 minutes ) Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper). On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Note:  I put the chocolate batter in the pan and then spooned the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate batter.  I then took a knife and swirled the batter together back and forth from one side of the pan and then swirled again from the other side of the pan.  You can also put a layer of chocolate batter, dollop the cream cheese batter and then top off with remaining chocolate batter.  Then swirl.  This will put the cream cheese filling more on the top and center of the brownies instead of just the top. 

 
 

Enjoy!

Be sure to check out the Blog Hop below to see more recipes for the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Gift/Packaging Idea -  A simple way to package these brownies....wrap a large brownie square in wax paper and tie a festive Christmas ribbon around it.  Place little treat package on your bosses or co-workers desk.  Give to your child's teacher or someone special.  If you are having a dinner party, put a little brownie package with a recipe card at each person's place setting.