Cream Cheese Brownies Recipe

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then line the pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches of overhang on two of the sides. This will enable you to easily remove the brownies from the baking dish. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

To make the brownie batter, set up a double boiler: Fill a medium pot with an inch or so of hot water. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl and set it over the pot. Make sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Bring the water to a simmer and keep on low heat. Stir until the chocolate and butter are melted and evenly combined. Remove the bowl from the double boiler and let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, use an electric hand mixer, to mix the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and blend until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate mixture, vanilla and almond extracts and mix until no white spots remain. Use a silicone spatula to fold in the nuts.

To make the cream cheese layer, use an electric hand mixer to cream the butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl until evenly combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. While mixing, gradually add in the sugar and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, flour and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

Remove and reserve 1 cup of the brownie batter. Add the remaining brownie batter to the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Top with the cream cheese mixture, gently spreading it into an even layer without disturbing the chocolate layer beneath. Dollop the reserved brownie mixture on top of the cream cheese and use a spatula to marble it. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool before cutting into bars or squares.

Excerpted from the book Indulge: Delicious and Decadent Dishes to Enjoy and Share by Valerie Bertinelli. Copyright © 2024 by Tuxedo Ltd. Photography © 2024 by John Russo. From Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.