Brownies with a Cream Cheese Swirl Topping
For swirl:
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For brownies:
6 ounces sweet, good quality baking chocolate, chopped, or use chocolate pieces
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For the swirl:
• Lightly butter 8-inch square nonstick baking pan.
• Using electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended.
• Beat in egg.
• Mix in flour and vanilla.
• Set mixture aside.
For the brownies:
• Stir baking chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs in large bowl until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in flour, baking powder and salt.
• Mix in chocolate mixture and extracts.
• Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Spread half of chocolate batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in greased pan.
• Using a rubber spatula spread the cream cheese mixture over chocolate batter.
• Spoon the remaining chocolate batter over top of cream cheese mixture.
• Using tip of knife, gently swirl through batter, forming a marble design.
• Bake brownies until the tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.
• Cool brownies in pan on rack.
• Cut into squares.
Note: Double this recipe for a 9 x 13 inch pan
Yield: 1 1/2 dozen brownies.
10 Minute German Sweet Chocolate Cream Pie
1 German chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar — optional
1 package cream cheese
3 1/2 cups Cool Whip — 8-oz container
8 ” Graham Cracker Crust
Thaw Cool Whip. Heat 1 pkg. (4 oz.) Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate and 2 T milk in saucepan over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted. Beat sugar into cream cheese; add remaining milk and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped topping, blending until smooth. Spoon into baked 8″ Graham Cracker Crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Store any leftover pie in freezer.