Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes

• Cream Cheese: Any full-fat cream cheese, similar to Philadelphia brand, will work beautifully. Make sure it’s at room temperature for a smooth, lump-free swirl.
• Raspberries: Both fresh and frozen raspberries are perfectly suitable. If using frozen, there’s no need to defrost them beforehand; they’ll bake up wonderfully right from the freezer. For a delightful twist, consider swapping raspberries for sour cherries or blueberries.
• Flour: Stick to all-purpose flour with a protein content around 10%. This provides the ideal structure for a classic fudgy brownie.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter with a fat content of at least 72%. Higher fat content contributes to a richer flavor and better texture.
• Sugar: For the brownie batter, fine granulated sugar (often just called “granulated sugar”) is best. Its smaller crystals dissolve quickly, ensuring a smooth batter and consistent sweetness.
• Eggs: I recommend medium eggs, which typically weigh about 50-55g each. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing.
• Cocoa Powder: You can use either Dutch-processed (alkalized) cocoa powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch-processed will give your brownies a darker, more intense chocolate color and a slightly milder flavor. Natural cocoa powder will result in a lighter color and a more prominent, slightly acidic chocolate flavor. Avoid instant cocoa drinks like Nesquik as they contain added sugar and other ingredients that aren’t suitable for baking these brownies.
• Chocolate: For the richest, most classic brownie flavor, bittersweet chocolate is optimal. Its lower sugar content perfectly balances the sweetness of the other ingredients. Semisweet chocolate is also a good option, but be aware that it will yield a sweeter brownie overall. Use high-quality chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar for the best results.
• Vanilla Extract/Vanilla Sugar: If using vanilla sugar, follow the recipe’s specified amount. If substituting with vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon will typically be sufficient to impart that lovely vanilla aroma and flavor.

Let’s start cooking.

Vigorously whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk for the cheese layer until smooth, then set it aside.

Break the chocolate into pieces and dice the butter. Place them in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler or bain-marie) and stir until completely melted and smooth.

Remove from heat, stir in the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract), and let the mixture cool slightly for about 10 minutes.

While the chocolate mixture cools, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add the whole eggs and egg whites to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Gradually add the sifted flour mixture, mixing with a whisk or spatula until no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix.

Lightly grease a rectangular or square baking pan (mine is 24×24 cm or 9×9 inches) with vegetable oil, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.

Pour half of the chocolate brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Carefully dollop spoonfuls of the reserved cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer.

Gently spread the remaining chocolate batter over the cream cheese layer. Using a wooden skewer or knife, gently swirl through the layers a few times in random directions to create a marble pattern.

Arrange the raspberries evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter.

Place the pan in an oven preheated to 160°C (325°F) and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes. The edges of the brownie should look set, and the center should feel firm but still slightly soft when lightly pressed. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.

Let the brownie cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to remove it. Once cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out, remove the parchment, and slice it into your desired pieces.

Enjoy every delicious bite!

This Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies recipe was checked, prepared and approved by Chef Tatyana Nazaruk - author of FlavorIt.com.
Would you like to thank me? It's easy!