German Sweet Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

Cream cheese swirl brownies are a fixture of bake sales and potluck spreads, and this version gets its signature flavor from German’s Sweet Chocolate, the milk-chocolate baking bar that was invented for German chocolate cake in 1852. The bar’s higher sugar content and creamy texture make for a brownie that is less bitter than standard fudge brownies, more like a rich chocolate shortbread with a crackly top.

The cheesecake topping is simple. Cream cheese, sugar, an egg, and a spoonful of flour whisk smooth, then get spooned over the brownie batter and dragged with a knife into a marbled pattern. As the pan bakes, the two layers set into side-by-side stripes of chocolate and tangy cream cheese without fully blending.

A small 8-inch pan keeps these thick and fudgy rather than thin and cakey. Bake just until a toothpick comes out almost clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting, and clean the knife between cuts for neat edges.

Chef Tips

• Bring cream cheese to full room temperature before beating. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps in the topping.
• Melt chocolate gently, either over very low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Scorched chocolate tastes bitter and seizes into a grainy mess.
• Marble lightly. Drag the knife in two or three S-shapes, not a dozen scribbles. Over-swirled brownies lose the stripe effect.
• Test doneness a little early. Brownies look underdone until they cool, and an almost-clean toothpick means fudgy centers.
• Use walnuts or pecans. Avoid almonds here, as they are too crunchy against the soft brownie texture.

Variations

• Swap German’s Sweet for dark chocolate if you prefer less sweet brownies. Add 2 extra tablespoons of sugar to compensate.
• Omit the nuts for a smoother, more delicate brownie.
• Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the cream cheese topping for a marzipan-ish lift.