PEPPERMINT CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES

FUDGE BROWNIES
• 115g salted butter
• 8 oz course chopped semi sweet chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 95g all purpose flour (measured correctly)
• ¼ teaspoon salt

MINT CHEESECAKE LAYER
• 224g cream cheese, softened
• 50g sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 drops green food colouring
• 120g mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350deg F.
Line the bottom and sides of an 11 x 7” baking pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper.
Set out 8 ounces of cream cheese allow to soften as you prepare the brownies.

MAKE THE BROWNIES FIRST:
Melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. You may use double boil method if you wish. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Stir sugar into cooled chocolate/butter mixture until combined.
Add in the eggs one at a time. Whisking until smoother after each addition.
Whisk in the vanilla.
Gently fold in the flour and salt. Do not over fold. Pour batter into prepared pan, reserving ¼ cup of batter.

MAKE THE CHEESECAKE SWIRL:
With a hand held mixer on medium speed, beat the softened cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, and 2 drops pf food colouring in a medium bowl until completely smooth – about 1 min.

Manually stir in the mini chocolate chips. Dollop spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on top of the prepared brownie batter. Glide the knife through the layers, creating a swirl pattern. Add more chips on top if desired.

Bake brownies for 30-35 mins or until toothpick comes out almost clean.
Allow brownies to coll completely before cutting into squares.
Brownies stay fresh stored in the refrigerator for 1 week.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
*taste the mint cheesecake mixture after you mix it – if it needs more peppermint flavour, add 1 more drop of the peppermint extract. If you like it to be brighter green, add more food colouring.

HAPPY BAKING!!!!