Chocolate and cream cheese combination is one of my favorites, so when I was planning to bake a batch of brownies, I’ve decided to add a cream cheese swirl to it. I wanted to make the plain brownies a bit more interesting, so I ended up adding espresso powder, black pepper and cinnamon to the chocolate batter. Now the cream cheese layer needed an upgrade as well – and I ended up adding some dried cranberries to it.
All these ingredients worked wonderfully together. The result is rich and sweet – quite far from my usual “sweet enough” type of desserts. But after all, what is life without the occasional indulgence?
I’m sure you’ll agree, once you’ll try these tasty brownies.
Makes: 20
Prep time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 stick (115 grams) butter, soft
6¼ oz (175 grams) dark chocolate (70%)
½ tsp espresso powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs raw cocoa powder
3 L eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
For the cream cheese swirl:
6 oz (170 grams) cream cheese, soft
1 L egg
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1 Tbs cornstarch
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line an 8×8” (20×20 cm) baking pan with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl over a pot with boiling water. Transfer to a work surface and add the espresso powder, salt, pepper, sugar and cocoa, and whisk together. Let cool a bit, add the eggs and mix well. Add the flour and mix briefly. Add the walnuts, mix and pour into the lined pan.
3. The cream cheese swirl: in a small food processor, process the cream cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla, salt and cornstarch, to a smooth mixture. Add the cranberries and mix with a spatula. Pour over the chocolate layer. Using a fork, create a marble pattern.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut off the edges and cut into portions.
Looks so tempting! After the holidays, I’ll see if I can re-create it with fake cream cheese. Chag Sameach!
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Thank you Dolly, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It would be interesting to see your version. חג שמח to you too! 🙂
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These look incredible Ronit! Not your ordinary brownie for sure.
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Thank you Kathryn, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I figured if I’m going to indulge, I might as well go all the way! 🙂
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Oh, my! I may have to try that. We LOVE cranberries – SO MUCH SO that we keep a container of dried ones on the table for nibbling/adding to a meal. Waiting patiently for the fresh ones to show up in the market (SOON) so I can make cranberry orange relish – a favorite around here.
One thing I DID learn about chocolate and “hot”-type flavorings . . . chipotle paste does not go well with chocolate ! But a bit of black pepper might be interesting.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
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Thank you Judie, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I’m also a big fan of cranberries, either fresh or dried. Cranberry-orange combination is one of my favorites.
You’re right, chipotle doesn’t go so well with chocolate, but a bit of cayenne or black pepper are a wonderful with it.
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That looks definitive tasty, I get hungry. Hugs Joe
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Thank you Joe, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It is a real treat, especially for hungry people! 😀
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Looks sooooo delicious !
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Than you Payel! 🙂
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Oh My Goodness!! I just gained two pounds looking at this….looks sooo yummy!!!! Thank you for posting recipe!
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Thank you Kelly, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I’m glad to share.
These brownies turned out to be a real treat. 🙂
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These brownies have all kinds of good ingredients! Chocolate and cream cheese won me over but the addition of cranberries took your brownies to another level. Great way to bring a touch of the “Fall”. This is certainly a “holiday” or anytime brownie 🙂
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Thank you Judi, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I didn’t think about it, but I guess I did have “Fall/holidays” in the back of my mind. I plan to make these again for Thanksgiving. 🙂
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Fabulous Ronit, brownies with cream cheese are one of my favorite indulgences. The black pepper makes these extra delicious, a little bite is so wonderful with chocolate.
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Thank you Suzanne, I’m glad to know you liked the recipe. I love a bit of black pepper with chocolate and with all the other ingredients these brownies turned out to be my new go-to recipe. I plan on making them again for Thanksgiving. I think they’ll add a special cheer! 🙂
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Decadent! All my favorite things in one!
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Thank you! All are my favorites as well. No doubt we have good taste! 😀
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Looks so ymmy!!!
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Thank you Khadija. Yes, it was very yummy! 🙂
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These are surely fabulous!! Love the addition of cranberries in the cream cheese layer 🙂
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Thank you Freda! I was very happy with how the brownies came out. The cranberries were really a nice addition. 🙂
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I made some brownies and swirled in some cream cheese cake. It was delicious. This looks even better!
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Thank you Liz. I’m glad you liked my version. 🙂
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These look amazing. Love the inclusion of espresso powder and black pepper in these …
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Thank you Christina, I’m glad you liked the recipe. The spices and espresso powder add a subtle but noticeable flavor. The brownies were gone very quickly! 🙂
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Oww…. Need this for everyday indulgence 😀
Thank you Ronit, I wanted to make plain brownies something different!!
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Thank you! Yes, these brownies can also be an everyday indulgence! 🙂
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The brownies are absolutely beautiful. The cream cheese swirls are a nice touch. I’m intrigued by the black pepper in this recipe. I never would thought of including it in a brownie recipe.
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Thank you Sheryl, I’m glad you liked the recipe.
I love adding a bit of black pepper to cakes. It goes so well with chocolate and with fruits. I can’t take credit for it, as it is mentioned in ancient Roman recipes. It’s well worth trying. 🙂
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Although I am not a friend of Brownies (bad bad memories) yours look and sound so delicious that no doubt I will have to try them. I make my own Quark (cream cheese) every week, and just bought dried cranberries at a new Hypermarket – so. no excuse really. Thank you
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Sorry to hear you’ve had bad encounter with brownies! Hopefully this recipe will bring a better experience!
I’m curious how the cheese swirl will work with Quark. 🙂
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Oh my word! This looks amazing!!
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Thank you Aletta and sorry to have missed your lovely comment! Better late than never! 🙂
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not a problem!
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Yummy.
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Thank you Anuradha! 🙂
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You are welcome Ronit.
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This looks lovely and so decadent! yumm
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Thank you Lynn and sorry to have missed your nice comment. The brownies turned out so good I already made a new batch. 🙂
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Yummm
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Wow! That looks so much better than my brownies! Will have to try if I can find the time!
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Thank you Kendall, I’m glad you liked my version! 🙂
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These look so fantastic and delicious, I love the cream cheese topping.
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Thank you Myra! I too love the topping. It goes so well with the chocolate layer. 🙂
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Great post. Well illustrated, love your posts Ronit
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Thank you Sumith, I’m very glad to know! 🙂
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Noone can say no to a good brownie recepie. Must try this and will freeze one for your next visit. Great.
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Thank you Shirley, I’m glad you liked the recipe. Looking forward to having it at your home! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Retired? No one told me! and commented:
Oh wow…chocolate, cream cheese, cranberries, walnuts, some of my favorite flavours and in one brownie….Heavenly
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Thank you! I’m glad you liked the recipe. These are my favorite flavors as well and they all worked so well in the form of brownies. 🙂
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Oh wow…so many of my favorites in one brownie…what are you doing to my waistline? A must try..my new oven is working overtime 🙂 Thank you x
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What a decadent recipe!
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Thank you Annika! It is indeed a decadent recipe. I cut it into small portions for a reason! 🙂
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Lol… I use this trick all the time as well!
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🙂
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I love your swirling on top of the brownies. Very creative. I need some of these now.
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Thank you Conor, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I wouldn’t mind having one of these now myself, alas – all gone! Need to work on a new batch… 🙂
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This Recipe Sounds brilliant😄😄😄
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Thank you Gerhard, I’m glad you liked the recipe. It was very tasty. 🙂
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Can imagine😄 hav a Nice Day
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Golly day, this is one heck of a Fall treat! Love all the ingredients in the spiced brownies, would love to try it.
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Thank you Loretta! It’s one of the recipes where you add “this and that” and somehow it turns out really good. 🙂
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Nice combo, Ronit. I just love a cream cheese icing. You’ve come through again. 👌
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Thank you Mary, I’m glad you liked my “this and that’ approach to brownies. It worked quite well! 🙂
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Gosh, Ronit, these sound good. I would have been happy with addition of the espresso and cream cheese swirl topping but you also added pepper. That puts these brownies in a league of their own. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
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Thank you John, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I’m very fond of adding a bit of black pepper to sweet dishes. Well worth trying. 🙂
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Chocolate and cream cheese is also one of my favorite combinations! I’ve never had black pepper in sweets…sounds intriguing. Delicious looking brownies Ronit 🙂
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Thank you Marisa, I’m glad you too like this tasty combination. I love adding a bit of black pepper to sweet dishes. It’s especially good with chocolate and fruit desserts. 🙂
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Ooooh, that sounds divine!
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Thank you Yana! The brownies were gone very quickly… 🙂
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Another one of the do to list – at this rate I will need to bake every day of the year for the next 5 years in order to get through my to bake list. Yum yum
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Oh I know the feeling. My “to try” list is very long, and somehow I always end up making other things… But it’s a great inspiration and always interesting. 🙂
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Yup, that’s correct, I use the inspiration and end up doing something else with it. Enjoy
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These brownies look and sound amazing!!
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Thank you Christy! 🙂
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Simply out of the world…
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Thank you Payal! 🙂
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What more do you need?
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Not much more! 🙂
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Omg!!! I’m drooling 😋😋😋
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Thank you. 🙂
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