Brownies for Baby

I know.  It's been forever!  In my defense, I must say that this will (if successful) be the fourth time I have actually sat down to make a post.  Ce la vie.

The other day, my two best girlfriends visited me for a belated birthday celebration.  They made all manner of yummy foods which I normally do not eat, but was glad to (simply because it was them who made it).  It made me laugh, because the dreaded "cheese drawer" conversation started again, for probably at least the fiftieth time!  To clarify, each of the girls has a drawer in the bottom of their fridge, which is full of cheese.  All kinds of cheese.  Block cheese, sliced, shredded, I think even maybe spreadable cheese.  It's because they use cheese as a staple.  Every dish that they made me the day they visited had cheese in it.  I still have a bag of cheese that they left behind!

I make fun of them (jokingly) of course, because of their cheese drawers.

The sad reality was that today, I realized something.  That same bottom drawer in my fridge is filled with chocolate.  Not only do I have eight different kinds of chocolate chips, there are several large bars of solid brick chocolate, and three boxes of baking chocolate.  Semi sweet, bittersweet, and all precentage of cacao content.  I sat back, laughing.  I suppose we all have our thing.

Speaking of my thing...

My friend Tracy is having a baby next week.  For her going away on maternity leave, she requested brownies.  Since I have an epic chocolate drawer in my fridge, it was easy to come up with something.  With a little help from David of course.  :)

The following is a homemade recipe for brownies, using just butter, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, and of course, three different kinds of chocolate.  They're probably better than any brownie I've ever had - complete chocolate overload with very little sweetness.  Although I've never tried, I'm pretty sure I can house a pan of these by myself, plain jane.  For Tracy though, I might frost them.  Cheescake cinnamon frosting, with maybe just a few drops of red food coloring.  Pink icing for baby girl.  Enjoy!

Cheesecake Brownies

One 9-inch (23cm) or 8-inch (20cm) square pan

Adapted from David's website.

For those of you who like higher brownies, use an 8-inch pan.

Maggie's note:  I used this recipe, opting out of the cheesecake part.  I know, sounds crazy, but these are better plain!  By all means however, give the cheesecake part a whirl if you want, and decide for yourself.  The only thing better than one batch of brownies, is two!

6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces (115g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup (130g) sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup (70g) flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (80g) chocolate chips

For cheesecake:

8 ounces (200g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons (75g) sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line a 9-inch (23cm) or 8-inch (20cm) square pan with foil, making sure it goes up all four sides. Use two sheets if necessary. Mist with non-stick spray or grease lightly.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180C).

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in the 2/3 cup (130g) sugar, then the eggs.

4. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then the vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

5. In a separate bowl, beat together the cream cheese, the yolk, 5 tablespoons (75g) of sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

6. Distribute the cream cheese mixture in eight dollops across the top of the brownie mixture, then take a dull knife or spatula and swirl the cream cheese mixture with the chocolate batter.