Brownies are a welcome dessert treat at my home and there seems to be always room for brownies right after dinner!  It`s a favourite for my older daughter to have the home smelling of chocolate brownies as she returns form school. But some how i always end up making them a little before dinner so ends up that their appetite for dinner is mysteriously lost!  I have recently started slightly modifying my weekly kitchen prep plans a little based on the produce on sale at the local farmers market or at Sprouts. I had two packages of cream cheese for a buck and I thought it was really high time I try the Oreo Cheesecake that I have eyeing for quite some time and the Cream Cheese Brownies Swirls. It was very flavorful and moist and chewy yet deliriously chocolatey with the hint of sweet salty from the cream cheese swirls. Try it and there`s really no looking back!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2  Sticks of butter (3/4 Cup).

2/3 Cup Cocoa.

1 2/3 Cup Sugar.

1/4 Tsp Salt.

2 Eggs at room temperature.

1 Tsp Oil.

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence.

1 Cup All Purpose Flour.

1/3 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips ( Could be substituted for any good quality chocolate).

Cream Cheese Filling:

4 oz softened cream cheese.

4 tbsp Sugar.

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence.

PREPARATION:

The best part of this batter preparation is that its completely fool proof AND its all done in one go – one vessel over the stove, a whisk and some measuring and adding!

• Take a deep dish with a strong base, and add the 1 1/2 sticks of butter to it. Place a whisk in to the dish and allow the butter to  melt slowly on low flame.
• Meanwhile butter an oven proof dish and preheat the oven to 350F/180C. I always like to line by dish with parchment and allow it to hang on either side so there is no messy clean up.
• Lay out all your ingredients in an assembly line  on the counter so you can reach to them when they are needed.
• Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and a little egg white until its nice and smooth. Set aside. ( I used a little egg white from the 2 whites reserved for the brownie itself).
• Measure out the 2/3 Cup of cocoa powder and slowly dunk it in to the melted butter.
• The cocoa laps up the butter happily and glistens.
• Continue whisking and add the 1 2/3 Cup pf Sugar, and the 1/4 tsp of salt.
• Whisk and at this stage it gets a little gritty with the sugar crystals. Keep going!
• Add the eggs one at a time and whisk them in. This stage gives the brownie batter all the body it needs. You are still on low flame so make sure you keep whisking.
• Flavour the brownie with the vanilla essence and mix it all in.
• Now measure out exactly 1 cup of flour and add it to the pot. Slowly fold the flour it to the silky batter.
• At the last stage add the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and let them melt in.
• Pour this brownie batter in to the baking dish.
• Empty out the cream cheese filling on to the top of the brownie batter and using a butter knife cut out marbled swirls.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes depending on the capacity of your oven. Do keep an eye on them and do not let them burn.
• Remove and allow to cool for a good hour or so before attempting to slice in to little squares.
• Makes a a great return gift for a kids birthday party!