Dark Chocolate and Cream Cheese Brownies

First week back at work after Christmas, so I thought I'd bake something incredibly chocolately and gooey. Brownies! Earlier this week Manchester had about 48 hours of heavy snow, and temperatures of -10, so I think some serious chocolate action is deserved.

Walking to work, in the snow


More Siberia than Salford


I've had a go at baking brownies a few times and have never mastered the gooey-centre, just a slab of chocolate cake. (don't get me wrong a giant slab of chocolate cake is still nice!) This time I added another egg to my usual brownie recipe. success! they worked really well.

Dark Chocolate and Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients

125g Dark chocolate
125g unsalted butter
2 Large eggs
200g caster sugar
75g plain flour
200g cold cream cheese (full fat, you might as well)

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees and line and grease a brownie tin

Melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a pan of boiling water. While this is melting beat the eggs and sugar in a seperate bowl. Once the chocolate has melted take it off the heat and let it cool slightly.

mmm, shiny chocolate

Once you've given the molten chocolate a chance to cool down, pour the eggy-sugar mixture into the bowl and beat until combined, followed by the flour. Pour about half into the brownie tin and smooth down with a spatula. At this point you need to create a cream cheese centre to the brownie. Make sure its really cold first, blast it in the freezer for 5 minuttes, then you can slice it and layer it on the brownie mixture. Finish by pouring the rest of the chocolate brownie mixture to cover the cream cheese.


I wanted to eat these straight away!


Bake for 20 minutes. By this time it should have a dry cracked surface, but when pressed with your finger have some give. Cut into squares, and lift out once cooled. Makes 8-10.


sweet gooey chocolate centre, with salty cream cheese, great combo

Success! They worked really well. I wouldn't mind a few of these with a coffee if I was snowed in!