This recipe comes from Camilla Saulsbury's “Enlightened Chocolate,” a fantastic cookbook filled with unique and delightful ways to use cocoa in sweet and savory dishes. Though the original recipe calls for raspberry preserves, we thought strawberry would be a good choice, too. Either way, these brownies are moist and delicious! The addition of cream cheese lends the brownies a hint of creaminess and allows you to marble the tops for a picture-perfect result.

Strawberry-Cream Cheese Brownies

These brownies combine strawberry preserves and cream cheese for a delicious, moist chocolatey treat.

Author: Lynne Webb
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 16 brownies

Ingredients

4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided use
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
3 large egg whites, divided use
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg
1/4 cup seedless strawberry (or raspberry) preserves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray the bottom only of an 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg white with an electric mixer set at medium speed until blended and smooth; set filling aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, melted butter, water, egg, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, remaining 2 egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar until well blended. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
Spread two-thirds of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour cream cheese filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble.
Bake 38-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean (be careful not to overbake; brownies will continue to set as they cool). Transfer pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

If you don't keep whole wheat pastry flour in the pantry, don't be afraid to substitute all-purpose flour instead. We tested the brownies using only all-purpose flour, and they turned out perfectly.

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Strawberry-Cream Cheese Brownies