Cream Cheese Brownies

The Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy “lifting.”

The Brownie Batter: * In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar.

• Add the egg and vanilla, beating until smooth.

• Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Stir until just combined—overmixing leads to cakey brownies, and we want fudgy.

The Cream Cheese Mix: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla until it is completely creamy and lump-free.

The Layering: * Pour all but ¼ cup of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it flat.

• Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the brownie base.

• Take that reserved ¼ cup of brownie batter and drop small dots of it in the gaps between the cream cheese.

The Masterpiece Swirl: Use a butter knife or a skewer to gently drag through the dollops. Pro Tip: Don’t over-swirl! If you mix them too much, you’ll just get a muddy-looking gray brownie. 3 or 4 big “S” shapes are usually enough.

The Bake: Bake for 30–35 minutes.

The “Cheesecake” Test: The edges should be set and the center should have just a tiny bit of “wobble.” If the cream cheese starts to turn deep brown, it’s overbaked.

The Chill: Let them cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This sets the cheesecake layer and makes the brownies extra fudgy.