I’ve really been trying to take off a few pounds before summer gets here. I’m down about 15, and wouldn’t mind shedding another 10. Even though I’m on a roll, I needed to reward myself on all the strict eating I’ve been doing, so I made myself some brownies. My family and I indulged in a few yesterday, and before I inhaled the rest of them this morning, I sent them off with my son for his teachers.
I’ve tried cream cheese swirl brownies a few times before and the two textures were off. Either the brownie part was too gooey and it didn’t match up to the cheesecake part or the cheesecake part was too soft. I like the two layers to have a very similar texture. Picky, yes I know.
So for these brownies, I made them dense and chocolaty. I added a bit more flour to cocoa powder than I usually use so they wouldn’t have a soggy consistency next to the cheesecake. I also reached to my KitchenAid Wine Cooler for a bottle of red wine to go in my brownie batter. Red wine pairs so well with chocolate. These brownies have all the fruity hints of the flavorful Merlot that I used in them.
Just in case they weren’t chocolaty enough though, I added lots of chocolate chips. They made these brownies incredibly decadent, especially with the swirled cheesecake layer.
Since we’ve had a wine cooler for a while now, I’ve been really enjoying keeping it full of different types of red and white wines. I’ve recently found a online site, TheWineBar.com. They have a wonderful selection of delicious wines. It’s just the same as going to your neighborhood wine bar, except you can browse from home! You can search by your favorite brand or by the style of wine that you prefer. Then you just click on where to buy and a list of local retailers pops up. It’s a really great way to find a good bottle of wine.
Yield: Serves 6
For the cheesecake layer:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg
1/2 cup Dixie Crystals sugar
For the brownie layer:
3 eggs
1 cup white Dixie Crystals sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 melted butter
1/3 cup red wine (I used Merlot)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Heat oven to 325°. Combine ingredients for the cream cheese layer in a large bowl and whisk well until completely incorporated and smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar, salt, butter and red wine. Whisk well to combine. Add cocoa powder and flour and mix until just combined. Pour in chocolate chips and fold in.
Line a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Pour 3/4 of the brownie batter into the pan. Pour over the cheesecake mixture. Dollop the rest of the brownie batter by the heaping tablespoon on top of the cheesecake layer. Use a spoon handle or butter knife to swirl the brownie batter into the cheesecake batter.
Bake brownies for 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick is clean when inserted into the middle of the brownies.
This post sponsored by TheWineBar.com. All opinions 100% mine.
