Swirly Cream Cheese Brownies

So I love brownies; sue me! There is nothing much better with milk, and not a whole lot more decadent. Matt isn't a huge dessert person (what guy is?) but he craves two things: apple crisp, and brownies. When he makes the latter, I insist he put nuts in at least 1/2 of the pan, because I like my brownies without 'em and god knows I'd eat the whole pan if I could.

Last weekend I made these cream cheese swirl brownies, sans nuts, and ended up eating the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. Matt came downstairs 30 minutes later and I said, "I did something bad." Without pausing he said he assumed I would eat the brownies; it was a given.

I like that we have that sort of understanding.


Swirly Cream Cheese Brownies

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, in pieces
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, in pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 to 9-inch square baking pan. Heat butter and chocolate in a saucepan, stirring until just melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a dash of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Then whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl with a knife. Sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until edges puff from pan.

Butter or chocolate?: I really don't know which one is more delicious.

Pre-swirl.

And post.

I had six of these for breakfast the next morning. NO JUDGING!