Cream Cheese Brownies

Have you ever had to choose between cheesecake and brownies? Well, now you don't have to. You can have both in one pan. These are nice and moist and come together fairly quickly. Test for doneness by poking your toothpick into the brownie part, not the cream cheese part which will be sticky. If you are still not sure, underdone is better than overdone when it comes to brownies!

Cream Cheese Brownies
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
Makes 16

Cream Cheese Batter

4 oz cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tblsp sugar

1 Tblsp flour

Brownie Batter

2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces

8 Tblsp butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8" pan with a parchment paper sling (leave the ends long for easy removal after baking) and spray with cooking spray.

Cream cheese batter: In a small glass mixing bowl microwave the cream cheese 20-30 seconds until soft. Add sour cream, sugar, flour and stir to combine. Set aside.

Brownie batter: Microwave chocolate and butter at 50% power for 1 minute, then 30 second increments until melted. Stir to combine. 

In a two-cup glass measuring cup with a spout, or a small mixing bowl whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add to the chocolate mixture and mix. Then add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir well. Save 1/2 cup of the batter in the glass measuring cup or in a microwave safe bowl. Spread the rest evenly in the prepared pan. 

Spread the cream cheese layer over the brownie layer. Microwave the reserved brownie batter for 10-20 seconds to make it pourable. Pour 9 dollops of batter over the cream cheese layer and swirl in, using a knife in a vertical cutting motion.

Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the brownie batter comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for one hour. Remove the brownies from the pan by lifting the sling and let cool on a wire rack for another hour. Cut into 16 squares and serve. Store remaining brownies in the refrigerator.