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Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies
These layered dessert bars combine a dense chocolate brownie base with a sweet cream cheese filling. The recipe uses melted baking chocolate and butter to create a rich, fudgy texture that contrasts perfectly with the tangy cheesecake center. Chopped nuts add a welcome crunch to the batter. They are ideal for bake sales, holiday gatherings, or a decadent weekend treat. Serve them chilled straight from the refrigerator for the best texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup butter, cut into pieces
- 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, toasted if desired ( page 22 )
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan with shortening.
- 2Combine the softened cream cheese, one half cup of sugar, two teaspoons of vanilla, and one egg in a medium bowl. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, then set it aside.
- 3Place the butter and chopped baking chocolate in a small saucepan. Melt them together over low heat while stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for five minutes.
- 4Transfer the cooled chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Add the remaining two cups of sugar, two teaspoons of vanilla, and four eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for one minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 5Add the flour and salt to the chocolate batter, beating on low speed for thirty seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for one more minute. Fold in the chopped nuts. Pour one and three-quarter cups of this batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it into an even layer.
- 6Pour the prepared cream cheese filling over the bottom layer of brownie batter and spread it evenly to the edges.
- 7Spoon the remaining brownie batter in small mounds across the top of the cream cheese layer. Use short, gentle strokes to spread the mounds and cover the filling completely without mixing the two layers together.
- 8Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack for about two hours. Slice the cooled block into squares and store them in a covered container in the refrigerator.