Cream Cheese Brownies

For the brownies

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the brownie base

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and lightly grease the foil. Set aside.
2. Melt butter & chocolate microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one.
3. whisk in the sugar until fully combined. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Continue whisking until completely smooth and shiny, about 1 minute.
5. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until just combined. Once you no longer see streaks of dry flour, stop whisking. You don't want to overmix the batter.
6. Reserve 1/3 cup of the batter and spread the remaining batter evenly into the prepared pan. The batter will be thick.

Make the filling

1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
3. Drop spoonfuls of the cheesecake filling evenly over the brownie batter then drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter in the empty spaces between the cheesecake filling.
4. Use the tip of a knife to gently swirl the dollops together.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
6. Cool the brownies in the pan for 5 minutes. Lift the brownies out using the foil as a sling and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Can double recipe & bake in 9X13 pan.  (Bake maybe 5-7 min longer)