FROSTED CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES OR GOAT CHEESE BROWNIES

Get out your whisk and spatula, don’t disturb your mixer because you won’t be needing it.  Here’s an easy and decadent – but not too decadent – brownie recipe.  It’s not totally fudgy and not totally cakey.  It’s somewhere in between the two, and just perfect for me, with a slight chewiness.  You can make the cheese filling with or without the egg, but I prefer it with.  Save a few calories by using nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  My favorite Greek yogurt is Fage because it's not as acidic as other Greek yogurts and tastes more like sour cream.

Adding coffee enhances the chocolate, making it possible to use less chocolate and have it taste like more.  You can use your favorite frosting, or just spread Nutella over the top of the warm brownies.  You can also leave the frosting off.  Either way, this is my new go-to brownie recipe. 

Making these brownies with goat cheese is even better.  The funky tang of goat cheese plays perfectly off the chocolate.
If you’re a chocoholic, you may want a recipe with more chocolate in it.  Since, like most seniors, I’m sensitive to chocolate, I try to use the least amount that will give me a good chocolate flavor without the jitters.  I’ve seen brownie recipes that use four times this amount of chocolate, but I wouldn’t be able to eat more than one bite.  (Please note that my rating is very subjective per my preceding comments.)

Frosted Cream Cheese Brownies or Goat Cheese Brownies Rating:  10 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

Cream Cheese or Goat Cheese Filling: 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese, cream cheese, or goat cheese, softened 2-1/2 Tbsp. sugar optional:  1/2 egg (about 2 Tbsp.) In small bowl, whisk ingredients till smooth.  Set aside. Brownies: 1/3 cup coffee 1/4 cup (2 oz.) butter or margarine 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules, decaf or regular 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 6 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup light brown sugar 6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) nonfat plain Greek yogurt, preferably Fage 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. Diamond kosher salt 1 large egg 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Heat oven to 350F (325F for dark or coated pans).  Spray a 9”x9” pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease lightly with shortening or butter.  Heat coffee and butter in medium microwaveable bowl on high till almost boiling, or heat in a 2-quart pot over high heat.  Remove from heat and add chocolate and coffee granules.  Stir till smooth.  Set aside.  Combine flours, cocoa powder and brown sugar in a resealable quart-size bag; seal; shake and press to combine.  Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, baking soda, salt and egg till smooth.  Add flour mixture to reserved chocolate mixture; whisk to combine.  Stir in yogurt mixture with spoon or spatula, mixing just till combined.  Spoon mixture into prepared pan.  Top with dollops of cheese mixture.  Run a knife through to marble.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over top.  Bake 20-25 minutes, or till a wooden pick inserted in brownie returns almost clean.  Cool in pan 15 minutes before frosting (if desired) with your favorite chocolate frosting, or with Nutella.  Sprinkle with toasted chopped nuts of choice.  Or enjoy the brownies sans frosting.