Cream Cheese Brownies

This recipe was featured in my Blondie & Brownie swap event, which you can read about HERE.

Cream Cheese Brownies
from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

4 ounces German sweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup plus 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
½ cup walnuts (optional)
½ tsp. almond extract

— Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 inch baking pan
— Combine chocolate and 3 tbsp. butter in small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat and continue to mix until smooth.
— Cream the remaining butter with the cream cheese and ¼ cup of sugar. Beat in one of the eggs. Stir in 1 tbsp. of flour, ½ tsp. vanilla, and the lemon juice.
— In a separate bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the remaining eggs until thick; gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until quite thick (when you remove the mixer from the eggs, a ribbon of egg will fall from the beaters).
— In a separate bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, and remaining flour. Add the chocolate mixture, nuts if using, almond extract and remaining vanilla.
— Spread half of the chocolate mixture on the bottom of the baking pan; top with the cream cheese mixture, then the remaining chocolate mixture. Swirl through all with a rubber spatula to create a marbled effect.
— Bake 25-30 minutes or until just barely set in the middle. Cool on a baking rack before cutting. Store, covered and refrigerated, for no more than one day.