I said to myself I wasn’t going to post this recipe until September, on the first rainy, gloomy day. But I couldn’t help it. It seems YOU NEED this recipe as much as I do, even on a hot summer’s day. Besides, brownies are the best excuse for a giant scoop of vanilla ice-cream.These are gorgeous! Fudgy, soft, creamy, chocolatey, everything a brownie should be. The addition of orange zest in the cream cheese mixture gives them that extra “zing”.

For the brownie base

• 200 gr unsalted butter
• 100 gr semisweet chocolate (I use Cadbury’s Bournville)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup + 3 Tbs sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 gr Philadelphia style cream cheese
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

For the cream cheese layer

• 200 gr Philadelphia style cream cheese
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange zest (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 160 C. Line the base and sides of a 22 x 22 square brownie pan, with greaseproof paper.

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Mix in cocoa and stir to dissolve. Transfer mixture in a whisking bowl.

Whisk in the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until incorporated. Add vanilla and cheese. Whisk again until mixture is smooth. Sift flour directly into bowl. Stir with a spatula until flour is mixed.

Set aside about ½ cup of the brownie mixture. Spread the remaining in the prepared brownie pan.

Mix cream cheese and sugar in a bowl. Add egg, vanilla and orange zest if using. Whisk until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture over the brownie mixture. Spread with a small off set spatula until the entire surface of the brownie base is covered. Spoon small blobs of the reserved brownie mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Using a wooden skewer make swirls, mixing the blobs with the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. Brownie will rise but will sink as it cools. Serve with vanilla ice cream.