Cream Cheese Brownies

Greg was going to a rescheduled Woodworkers’ Christmas party which had been canceled by our lack of electricity following our horrid wind storm in December. (God, I’m still whining about it!) He’d volunteered to bring treats and he prides himself on making his own.  He decided to dazzle them with Cream Cheese Brownies.  We’ve been making these for years.  I could barely read the recipe card, it was so faint due to over use and fading.

So, how does a recipe become a family favorite?  You would think a brownie would need to be extra chocolatey, but this is not a very chocolatey brownie.  You would think it would be dense and chewy, but this is a very cakey brownie.  It started with Chris wanting to share them at school.  He’s a little like his mom and not a huge chocolate fan, but they called to him.  My dad called them the craggy ones due to the craters made by the marbled cream cheese and he didn’t really like sweets.  They aren’t incredibly sweet, but they really satisfy a sweet tooth.

I think you are going to have to give these a try and see if they speak to you.

Combine: 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg.  Beat well and set aside for use later.

½ cup butter

¾ cup water

1 ½ square chocolate

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces chocolate chips

Combine butter, water and chocolate in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  In a mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda and salt.  Slowly pour butter mixture over and beat to combine.  Add eggs and sour cream.  Mix thoroughly.  Pour into greased jelly roll pan.  Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and slice with a knife for a marbled effect.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frost with chocolate icing.

*  From the Recipe box:

Not incredibly chocolatey, but a really good cakey brownie.

and remember:  You can be the ripest, juiciest, most luscious peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.  Big kiss, Lynn