You cannot have to many brownie recipe, because Brownie is one of the most easy and decadent dessert that you can make in 1 hr or less. Minimal effort but pure satisfying chocolate indulgence in every bite. This version I called “Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Brownie“. It is fudgy with a nice middle layer of tangy cream cheese and topped with chocolate chips. Its chocolate heaven inside and out.

There are a LOT of brownie variations and I have my fair share of making some of time. They come in different textures and mix-ins but one thing in common is that for me they all taste decadent, pure chocolate indulgent. If I have to choose one variation that I like the most, I would say a Cream Cheese Brownie is my pick. There is something about the creamy tangy cream cheese and the dark chocolate flavor that really works for me. They’re match made in heaven. This is one dessert that I simply cannot resist which is why I often make this in small batch and big batch if I only need to bring somehing to a gathering or if making some edible gifts. They’e simply delicious.

What Makes Cream Cheese Brownie Special

Why settle for plain brownies when you can elevate them with cream cheese? The luscious layer of cream cheese adds a velvety, tangy twist to the fudgy richness of the chocolate. It’s a balance of flavors and textures that feels indulgent without being overly sweet. These brownies are not only delicious but visually stunning, with their creamy marbled design. Trust me, they’re guaranteed to impress anyone you share them with. I cannot stop eating them 🙂

Understanding Brownie

One of my favorite chocolate bar dessert is brownie because it never failed to satisfy my chocolate craving. The brownie itself is just a one bowl mixing recipe, it’s thaAs simple as it is, there are few key things that you should know about Brownies. Why some brownies are thick and fudgy, and why some brownies are almost like cake texture. How about those shiny cracked top, how do you achieve that look? Let’s put out geek glasses on and dig deeper into brownie making. Ready? Here we go! Let us start by understanding the ingredients as it is key to how you end up with a fudgy or cake like texture.

What are the Ingredients for Basic Brownie?

• Chocolate – Use a good quality baking chocolate for best result. Either a bar baking chocolate that has been chopped or chocolate chips works for this recipe. The chocolate gives the fudgy texture to the brownie depending on the amount use.
• Butter – Salted or unsalted if fine. If using salted, skip the additional salt in the recipe. Butter is a source of fat, thus helps in making a brownie fudgy or cake like depending on the amount use.
• Granulated white Sugar – To sweeten the brownie. Brown sugar works too, but it will make the brownie denser, so I recommend stick to white sugar
• Vanilla Extract – Totally optional and can be substituted with espresso or coffee powder.
• Egg – This gives structure to the brownie
• All-Purpose Flour – The base dry ingredient, just the right % of gluten. I wouldn’t recommend using cake flour or self-rising flour as this brownie aims to be on the fudgy texture
• Salt – Small amount goes a long way in enhancing the taste, sweet & salty.
• Chocolate Chips – This is optional but I think it adds a nice touch to the brownie. The more chocolate in every bite, o why not?

Quick and Easy Steps Brownie Success

Making these small-batch brownies is a breeze. You’ll need basic pantry staples like egg, flour, chocolate, and butter for the brownie layer, along with cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for the topping. Once you mix the ingredients, dollop the cream cheese layer over the brownie batter and swirl to create the signature marble effect. Bake them until set but still gooey—because who doesn’t love that perfectly fudgy bite?

Types of Brownie

Fudgy Brownies which seems to be the favorite of most people have less amount of flour and do no use any leavening agent. Making a fudgy brownie usually require melting the butter rather than creaming it with sugar. This method produces a denser, fudgier outcome. When using unsweetened chocolate, the amount of sugar is more to balance its bitterness. When replace by dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, I usually decrease the amount of sugar to abut 2-3 tablespoon less.

Cake Like Brownies are like cakes, make sense right? They are fluffier because it uses more flour, less butter and contains a leavening agent like baking powder to give it a rise. In terms of butter, often the softened butter is creamed with the sugar rather than melted with the chocolate. The creaming process incorporates air into the mixture, which causes the brownies to rise higher, just like when making cakes and cupcakes. Some Cakelike brownie recipes adds a bit of milk to add tenderness to the texture. The lighter the batter, the less dense it will be.

Chewy Brownie, my personal favorite. A always refer to this as a cross between fudgy and cake like texture. The sides have a lighter crunchy crumb, while the center is soft and moist. This type of brownie usually get their texture from egg and a combination of different types of chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate (raw) has the highest proportion of starch, which create a stiffer-textured brownie. Semisweet chocolate produces a creamier texture well because it has more milk in it. So if you want to get a cross between fudgy and chewy texture, try to use a combination of unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate and an addition of cocoa powder. Cocoa powder usually dries out the batter, producing a thick batter which results to a rich, satisfyingly chewy brownie. It is really in the ratio and how you use each ingredient.

What Makes a Brownie Fudgy?

Brownie uses very few simple ingredients. Whether you like your brownie fudgy or cake like depends on the ratio of the ingredients you are using. By using the same ingredients, you can make both fudgy and cake like brownie by just changing the ratio.

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat (butter and chocolate), while a cake like brownie have more flour and usually uses a leavening agent such as baking powder (for a lighter fine texture) or baking soda (for a coarse chewy texture) to give the brownie a rise. Some recipe do nut use any leavening agent, like this one. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you’re going fudgy or cakey

A Thick Layer of Cream Cheese

What makes this brownie really indulgent for me is the thick layer of cream cheesein the middle and the extra chocolate chips inside and out. If you like a more prominent cream cheese cwirl on top, do not mix it a s much. I have to confess that I got carried away swirling it that the cream cheese swirl on the top is almost not prominent. But nonetheless, they are still delicious, sinfully delicious.

Tips for Making Fudgy Brownie:

1. Reduce the amount of flour, and more on melted chocolate
2. Do not use leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda
3. Do not incorporate too much air in the batter, this is why we don’t need mixer for this
4. Do not over bake. The usual “when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean” is NOT applicable here. You want the center to still be a little bit moist.

How to Store Leftovers (If You Have Any!)

If, by some miracle, you have leftover brownies, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Want to enjoy them later? Microwave for a few seconds to revive the gooey chocolatey goodness. They’re also freezer-friendly! Wrap each brownie tightly in cling film and place them in a freezer-safe bag. When the craving hits, thaw them at room temperature or reheat briefly for a treat that’s as good as fresh.

Ingredients:

Brownie Layer:

• 1/4 cup unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 ounces Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped (Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate)
• 6 tablespoon granulated White Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 large Egg
• 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (reserve 2 tablespoon or more for toppings)

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 4 ounces full fat Cream Cheese (NOT the spreadable, the one in the BOX) at room temperature
• 3 tablespoon granulated White Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
• pinch of Salt
• 2 tablespoon Egg – (Beat the egg and take 2 tablespoon)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 5 x 5 inch square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Make the Brownie Layer: In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat, let cool lightly and stir or whisk in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the egg and continue mixing until fully combined. Stir in the flour and salt and stir vigorously until the batter is smooth and glossy (about one minute). Remove 1/4 cup of the brownie batter and set it aside. Spread the remainder of the brownie batter evenly onto the prepared pan.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Layer: In the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), mix the cream cheese just until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, salt and egg and mix just until creamy and smooth. Do NOT over mix or the cream cheese will become too runny. Doll up d the cream cheese on top of the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter on top of the cream cheese filling. Run a knife or wooden skewer back and forth through the two batters until you have a marble effect. Top with more chocolate chips.
   • If you want a more cream cheese showing on top, limit the amount of chocolate to cover it, about 2 tablespoon only instead of 1/4 cup.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 – 40 minutes or until the brownies are set and the cream cheese is just beginning to brown. (A toothpick inserted into the brownie comes out with just a few moist crumbs.)
5. Cool: Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Then cover and refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (several hours or even overnight). Do NOT attempt to cut while warm.
6. Cut: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 6 or 4 for bigger serving size. 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. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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