Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Marbled Cream Cheese Brownies

Looking back at 2008, even though there was a slight slack towards the end of the year, I was glad that I did quite a few good bakes and new attempts. I found my 6 Favourite Foods that I have done last year.

1. I made my favourite Cashew Nuts Cookies and will definitely bake it again this year. I have already bought the cashew nuts and ready to go! :)

2. I was caught up in the bread making frenzy and bought a new breadmachine. I remembered the clumsy moments when shaping the Plaited Loaf. It came up to be my prettiest bread among all.

3. I bought my first tart pan and made the delicious Apple Crumble Pie, but have never used the pan again after that!

4. I made a disastrous attempt at the Easy Peach Cheesecake without a proper tin with a removable base. I have already bought one loose-base tin. :)

5. I made my first homemade ice creams and this was good!

6. I found the Devil's Food Cake recipe and made them into Devil's Cupcakes. Best of the Bests!

Here's my first bake in 2009.



Marbled Cream Cheese Brownies
(Recipe was copied down and I forgot to take down the title of the book)

Ingredients (8 inch square tin, makes 16 squares)
Brownie layer:
125g lightly salted butter
45g cocoa powder
2 eggs
250g caster sugar (I reduce to 160g, still quite sweet)
60g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream cheese layer:
180g cream cheese
90g caster sugar (I reduce to 70g)
1 egg
30g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1. Gently melt the butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan, then stir in the cocoa until blended and set aside.
2. Beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and stir in the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and fold into the mixture. Add in the vanilla extract.
3. Whisk together the cream cheese, sugar and egg. Sift self-raising flour over this mixture and fold in. Add in the vanilla extract.
4. Pour 3/4 of the brownie mixture into the base-lined tin and spread the cream cheese mixture over it. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie mixture on top, making swirls in it with a skewer for a marbled effect. Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is springy to the touch.
5. Cool the baked cake in the tin. Turn it out and cut into squares.