It's Nice to Have Good Brownie Options: Double Chocolate Cream Cheese Fudge Brownies

I wanted to make a second variety of brownies (in addition to some Zingerman's Bakehouse Black Magic Brownies) for a chocolate-themed retirement party at work, so I decided to try Abigail Dodge's "Double Chocolate Cream Cheese Fudge Brownies" from The Everyday Baker. These are cocoa brownies swirled with a cream cheese mixture that includes miniature chocolate chips.

To make the brownies you melt butter; add cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt; add eggs and vanilla; and fold in flour. You scrape the batter into a 9-inch by 13-inch and drop dollops of the cream cheese mixture (softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, an egg yolk, vanilla, and miniature chocolate chips) on top of the brownie batter and swirl them together before baking.

These brownies were much fudgier than the Zingerman's brownies but they still cut cleanly at room temperature. I liked the intense chocolate flavor of these brownies a lot, but I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more cream cheese flavor. If I ate one of these with my eyes closed, I'm not sure I would know they contained cream cheese except for the astringent tangy finish to each bite. Tom and I tried this brownie side-by-side against the Zingerman's brownie on day two and day three after baking. On day two I preferred the Zingerman's brownie, but on day three my preference flipped and I liked this cream cheese brownie better. Both kept well and were delicious. 

Recipe: "Double Chocolate Cream Cheese Fudge Brownies" from The Everyday Baker by Abigail Dodge.

Previous Post: "Super but not Supernatural: Zingerman's Bakehouse Black Magic Brownies," May 9, 2018.