Cheesecake Topped Brownies

Last night I had a bit of a nightmare in that I tried to make Chocolate Brownies with a cheesecake topping at the same time that I was making lime and coriander chicken with rice for Mr. C and I for dinner. The brownies were for Mr. C and his friend to enjoy while making tunes today.
However, by getting my recipes mixed up I ended up with coriander in the brownies and Creamcheese in the rice.
Okay, not quite but almost!!!
I had to make another batch at about 10pm last night....

The first time we ever had brownies when we were young was when I was about 9 when my mum's cousin and her daughter came to visit from Texas. As a real treat, mum made chocolate brownies. We thought that all of our christmases had come at once and we ate as many of them as we could when the grown ups weren't looking.
My brother was only about 7 at the time and he ate so many of them that he ended up being violently ill. Now to be completely honest, he was sick for about 3 days, and as the rest of us were fine it was obvious that he had a tummy bug. But to this day (19 years later) he refuses to eat brownies. More for me and mum and dad!!!!
Anyway, these brownies are just the simplest things ever and come together in about 40 mins in total, with cooking!
Preheat your oven to 180 and line an 8 inch square tin with butter and baking paper. Do not scrimp on this as it makes it easier to turn out!!!

For the brownie batter you will need.
3oz Dark Chocolate (no less than 70%) , 4oz butter, diced, 165g caster sugar, 2 large eggs, pinch of salt, 100g plain flour, sifted.

For the Cheesecake mixture you will need,
8oz cream-cheese (Iuse extra light to convince myself this is somewhat good)
1 large egg yolk, 75g caster sugar, one quarter tsp vanilla extract.

Mix all the cheesecake ingredients together first and set aside.
In a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate together until melted and combined. Set aside to cook for a few minutes.

In the mean time, beat together the eggs and caster sugar with the salt until pale and light. Add 2 tablespoons of the chocolate mix to the egg and sugar mixture and mix around. Then fold in the rest of the chocolate, keeping the mixture light and airy.

Sift the flour into the wet mixture and fold in delicately until there are no lumps left.

Pour the mix into the pan and add the cheesecake mix to the top. Swirl around with a fork or a kebab skewer and make all the pretty swirls you want! I try to write my name but haven't yet managed!!!

Bake in the oven for about 30 mins and your brownies will be slightly goey in the middle. If you want them better done, leave in for a further 5 mins or so but keep an eye on them!

Remove from oven and let cool in the tin before cutting.

This serves about 16, depending on how small you cut them!

like I said, they really are the easiest and tastiest brownies that I havehad in an age!!!

Enjoy with a cuppa and sitting in front of the tv on a friday night.

However, if you wish, do what I did this morning and have one for breakfast when your porridge doesn't quite work out!!!!!

Mr. C and I are off to Limerick tomorrow to watch Munster v Sale Sharks in the Heineken Cup. I am very much looking forward to it as I get a half day from work and I get to navigate the car all the way. If he listens to me, however, we could very easily end up in Cork!!!

Before that though, I have an assessment in the Gym at 6 in the morning. I am looking forward to it but I suppose it does mean that I can't have any brownies for breakfast... ah well, the price I must pay....

Come On Munster!!!!!

Orls

xx