Since
Brownies are America's favorite bar cookie, it is no surprise that they have become a springboard for
many
new recipes. One of my favorites is from Alice Medrich's
excellent book "Cookies and Brownies" and it is for a Cream Cheese Brownie.
I don't think there is a more perfect combination; a dense and fudgy brownie
covered with a cheesecake
topping. Bite into one and you are sure to notice how the tanginess of the
cream cheese so nicely tempers the deep richness of the chocolate brownie.
The trick to making a dense and fudgy brownie, besides reducing the amount
of flour and using no artificial leavener (baking powder/baking soda), is
to incorporate as little air as possible when mixing the batter. So,
instead of pulling out the electric mixer we are just going to mix the
ingredients together in one bowl with a wooden spoon. The result is a
nicely compact brownie with a dense and fudgy texture. Once the brownie batter is in the
pan (we do keep some brownie batter for later) we top it with a cheesecake filling. The
main component in a cheesecake is cream cheese, that white, soft and spreadable cheese with a slightly
tangy flavor. It has a 33% butterfat content so its texture is wonderfully
smooth and creamy. The one thing you do need to keep in mind is that cream cheese
needs to be at room temperature
before it is beaten so it will be nice and smooth with no lumps. Then we
add a little sugar, an egg, and some vanilla extract for texture and
flavor and after gently spreading it over the brownie layer, there is only
one thing left to do. And that is to place small dollops of that leftover
brownie batter over the cream cheese filling and then running a knife or
wooden skewer through it all to give a nice marbleized effect.
You can eat these squares the same day as you make them, but I prefer
refrigerating them overnight as this gives the flavors time to soften and
mingle.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160
degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have
ready a
9 x 9 inch (23 x
23
cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the
bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan. Set aside.
In a stainless
steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the
butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla
extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon) after
each addition. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until
the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about
one minute). Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Place the
remainder of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Then in the bowl
of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until
smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process until creamy and smooth.
Spread the cream cheese filling over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of
the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with
a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without mixing them.
Bake in the
preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away
from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to
brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate the
brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours).
Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the
foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares.
It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. These brownies can be
stored in the refrigerator for several days.
Makes about 16 - 2
inch squares.
Source:
Medrich, Alice. 'Cookies
and Brownies'. Warner Books, Inc. New York: 1999.
Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
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