Cream Cheese Brownies
This is how many recipes are found: I have a leftover something that is going to expire soon, and I can't eat it on its own. I google "[leftover name] recipes", see what comes up, then use it.
In this case, it was Philadelphia cream cheese that I'd used to make Japanese Cheesecake previously. But I don't want to eat cheesecake! Cream cheese brownies seem like the perfect thing to try since I have a VERY soft spot for dark and rich chocolate.
Taste testers commented that the cream cheese couldn't be tasted. It was more like an ordinary brownie. Some loved it, some found it too sweet. I belong to the latter group of people, even though I already reduced the sugar. It could also have been because I used chocolate chips to substitute for a big portion of the cocoa powder.
I wasn't satisfied with the look of the top layer too - you can see swirls here because I intentionally chose the best photo, but this is far from what it should look like (just Google to find out). I think I overbaked it, so the cream cheese turned from ivory to golden brown when it should be more ivory.
I don't believe in using brownie mixes (or cake or cookie mixes for that matter...unless I'm feeling lazy), so this is made from scratch, unlike most recipes elsewhere. The only other recipe I found that was made from scratch was the one by Martha Stewart. Maybe I'll try that next time, or use this recipe again sometime in future with less sugar and update this post! In the meantime... here's the recipe.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
Nonstick spray
5 large eggs
8 ounces cream cheese (or 227g), room temperature
1/4 cup + 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup unsweetened chocolate chips
1 tsp salt
1 cup (or 227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup all purpose flour
A handful of chopped walnuts or almonds
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 163 deg Celsius / 325 deg Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a 13 x 9 inch cake pan with nonstick spray, then line with baking paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on long sides. This makes it easier for you to remove the brownie later. Coat baking paper with nonstick spray.
2. Using an electric mixer, mix 1 egg, cream cheese, and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Set aside.
3. Whisk cocoa powder, chocolate chips, salt, and remaining sugar in a large bowl to combine. Mixing constantly, add butter in a steady stream. Add vanilla extract, then 4 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg.
4. Add flour and stir until just combined - don't overmix. Sprinkle walnuts or almonds all over and stir in until fairly distributed throughout batter.
5. Spoon dollops of batter into cake pan. Spoon dollops of cream cheese mixture in between. Run a knife through bot mixtures to swirl and create fat ribbons.
6. Bake 35 - 40 min or until cream cheese mixture is barely golden and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer onto a wire rack and let it cool.
7. Use baking paper overhang to lift brownie out of pan and onto a cutting board. Trim edges.
Tips:
Brownies can be kept fresh for 2 days in room temperature, tightly wrapped. Or up to 1 month in the freezer, uncut.
For the neatest, cleanest edges, freeze the brownie slab for 15 min to firm it up. Dip your knife in hot water between each slice.
