Cream Cheese Brownies

[pepperhead212]

Today is National Cream Cheese Brownie Day! I normally don't make things like that, unless I'm taking it somewhere - otherwise, I eat them all in a short amount of time! But I decided to make some for myself, with my BD coming up, plus, I had two 8 oz full fat cream cheese left from something I didn't make to go somewhere, because someone got sick. Plus, I had (as usual) 4 ultra ripe bananas, so I made up a recipe, as I went along. I've made enough brownies, through the years, that I got the dry goods, and other proportions right, adding only 6 oz of dark brown sugar - the bananas was most of the sweetness. Here's the recipe I made up, as I went along. Haven't tasted them yet, but oooooohhh they smell good baking!

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, and 2 oz butter, melted together (most fat in this is in the cream cheese)

4 super ripe bananas
6 oz dark brown sugar
16 oz full fat cream cheese, softened
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp sal

I first puréed the bananas in the food processor, then added the sugar, and after that liquefied, added the cream cheese, and mixed that in, followed by the eggs, one by one, and the vanilla and salt. After scraping the FP a couple times, and mixing it all in, I set that aside, while getting everything else ready.

I lined a 9x13 pan with some NS foil, then got the dry ingredients together.

Sift together:
3/4 c WW flour
1/2 c whole rye flour
3 tb Dutch cocoa

I then whisked the warm chocolate and butter together, then gradually added the banana/cream cheese mix in. Then I folded the dry ingredients in, along with about 1¼ c chopped walnuts. I spread it into the pan, then baked in a 300° convection oven (would have done 350° in my regular oven) for 40 minutes - toothpick came out clean - then took out to cool on a rack. I'll stick it on my back porch - not quite as cold as refrigerator, but about 45°, which should cool it enough to cut. It will be one of those gooey, fudgy types - not the cake brownie, that has more flour in it.
Cream cheese added to the banana purée, before mixing with the sugar and eggs. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Chocolate, melted with the small amount of butter, before mixing with the purée. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The whole grain flours, sifted with a little Dutch cocoa, before folding in, with the walnuts. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Cream cheese brownies, ready to go into the oven. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Cream cheese brownies, just out of the oven. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

Rye flour was a surprise! I can’t try this one because of the cream cheese, but am keeping it in mind. for reference.

Does it work because it’s chocolate? Or because it’s already “sour” from the cream cheese?

[imafan26]

Thanks for the recipe. It looks really good. I have never put cream cheese or bananas in brownies before, so this is interesting.

[pepperhead212]

I cut the brownies today, and the bananas were definitely more noticeable in the flavor than cream cheese, but this didn't surprise me - I've made a number of different cream cheese brownie recipes, but the chocolate would cover the cheese flavor, unless the chocolate amount was fairly low, which I don't usually do in brownies (or anything!). I made this up just to use that cheese and those bananas.

I froze 20 of them - 4 packs in foil - and kept a dozen out. I might have some help eating a few.
Cut banana cream cheese brownies, showing the edge of one, like fudge. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[imafan26]

Bananas usually help retain moisture as well.