This is my “go-to” brownie recipe – I used it for my Brownie Tart with salted caramel sauce – when I baked for a restaurant for 4 years. It was a big hit every time I made it. The brownie is a rich, “fudgey” type of brownie – which I adore. The cream cheese swirl takes these to another level, by adding a nice creamy taste and texture. I used some 4 1/2″ coated paper tart shells – so no need for a crust at all! They make their own crust right in the shell. I found these at Homegoods, but they are widely available at most craft stores. You could use regular cupcake liners, but you will need to shorten the baking time.

The recipe made 7 of these 4 1/2″ tarts. One of these can easily be shared with a special someone! They would be extra special topped with some vanilla icecream!

Cream cheese swirl:

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temp
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla til very smooth. Add the egg, and beat just til blended, and mixture is smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set the paper tart shells on a baking sheet.

Brownie recipe:

2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c light brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Melt chocolate chips and butter in the top of a double boiler, over low heat, stirring til melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.

Add both sugars to the chocolate mixture, and stir to combine. Add vanilla, stir. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, stirring to combine between additions.

Stir in flour and salt. Stir til blended and smooth. If you want to add some chopped walnuts, add them now.

I used 3 large icecream scoops for each tart shell.

Now for the best part – top each tart with 3 SMALL scoops or dollups, of the cream cheese mixture.

Swirl very gently, with the tip of a knife. Don’t over-mix – just a few swirls will give you a beautiful design.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 min. They will be puffed, and slightly brown on the edges when done. Allow to cool completely.

These are best served at room temp, as refrigeration can harden them. However, DO store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 mo. Just thaw or allow to come to room temp before serving.