Marble Cheesecake Brownie
by Bruce Weinstein
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• Gooey, fudgy, or cakey, flavored with chocolate chips, coconut, or nuts, frosted or enjoyed as is, who doesn't love brownies?
• The Ultimate Brownie Book has thousands of ways to make America's favorite treat, including blondies, frostings, and doctored brownie mixes!

Bruce Weinstein is the author of The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, The Ultimate Party Drink Book, and The Ultimate Candy Book. A cooking teacher and a food and travel writer, Bruce's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Bon Appétit , Gourmet, and the Wine Spectator. He lives in New York City.

In this ultimate guide to America's favorite treat, discover old-time classics such as Chocolate Syrup Brownies and Butterscotch Brownies, and new tastes such as Cranberry Brownies and Malt Brownies.

• For those who prefer blondies, try Peanut Butter Blondies and Jam Swirl Blondies.
• Short on time?
  Turn to Bruce's doctored up brownie mix recipes that include innovative ideas for Baked Alaska, Black Forest Cake, and even S'mores.

Marble Cheesecake Brownie
Recipe excerpted from The Ultimate Brownie Book ©2002 by permission of the author. May bot be reproduced without the permission of the author, All rights reserved.

Makes sixteen 2 1/4 X 2 1/4-inch brownies

If you got a little worried when you saw that the first recipe in this book was Applesauce Brownies, you can put your fears to rest. Here are the most decadent brownies we've ever made: A sweet cream cheese ribbon is swirled into the buttery batter for a treat that's rich, gooey, and still packed with chocolate. Ice them with Chocolate Fudge Frosting (page 152) or for cream cheese lovers -- Cream Cheese Frosting (page 155).

What you need:

• One 8-ounce package cream cheese (regular or low-fat, but not fat-free), softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus additional for the pan, at room temperature
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped, or semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for the pan 1/2 teaspoon salt

What you do:

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla until well combined. Set aside.
2. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan; set it aside.
3. Place the butter and both kinds of chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. If you don't have a double boiler, place the butter and both kinds of chocolate in a heat-safe bowl that fits snugly over a small pot of simmering water. Stir constantly until half the butter and chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler or the bowl from the pot; then continue stirring, away from the heat, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
   
   (To melt butter and chocolate in a microwave, see pages 9-10.)
4. Beat the remaining 1 cup sugar into the melted chocolate with a whisk or with an electric mixer at medium speed; continue beating until the mixture is smooth and silky, about 5 minutes by hand or 2 minutes with a mixer. Beat in the remaining 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 1 tablespoon vanilla until incorporated.
5. With a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, stir in the flour and salt just until combined. Do not beat. Spread three-quarters of this chocolate batter into the prepared pan. Cover with the cream cheese mixture, spreading it as evenly as possible with a spatula. Do not press down. Dot the cream cheese mixture with the remaining chocolate batter, using heaping tablespoons of batter.
6. To create a swirl effect in the brownies, run a sharp kitchen knife through the batter without touching the bottom of the pan or lifting the knife up during its course. Slice through the chocolate dollops and drag some of the mixture into the cream cheese. Continue swirling until a spin-out, almost psychedelic pattern has formed.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
8. Cut the brownies into 16 squares while they're still in the pan. Carefully remove them with an offset spatula. Serve immediately, or let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap for storage at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days. The brownies can be tightly wrapped in wax paper, sealed in a fireezer-safe bag, and frozen for up to 3 months; allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.

To vary this recipe

Substitute one of the following flavorings for the 1 tablespoon vanilla used in the chocolate batter: 2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract • 2 1/2 teaspoons maple extract • 2 teaspoons banana extract • 2 teaspoons coconut extract • 2 teaspoons mint extract • 2 teaspoons rum extract

and/or

Stir in 3/4 cup of any of the following mix-ins, or 3/4 cup any combination of the following mix-ins, with the flour mixture in the chocolate batter: chopped candied chestnuts • chopped candied orange peel • chopped Heath bars • chopped Oh Henry! bars • chopped pecans • chopped walnuts • cocoa nibs • dried cherries • shredded sweetened coconut • white chocolate chips.

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Emeril's Favorite French Toast
We have another egg-ceptional idea from chef Emeril Lagasse who says, "Oh, man, talk about a walk down memory lane. This is one of the first things I ever made in the kitchen when I was a little boy. Even back then I liked to experiment to keep things interesting, and this is the result of one very successful experiment. The orange flavor in this French toast will just about knock your socks off. Try it-I bet you'll be back for more!"

Great Gift & Fundraising Idea
Brownies in a Jar Gift
Everyone loves brownies.  Brownies are the perfect gift and you'll love our Brownies in a Jar. All you need is a one quart jar that you can pick up at your local craft store.  Just take the ingredients for the Double Fudge Brownie Mix and fill the jar.  You can make the jar festive by using a colorful ribbon to tie on the recipe instructions along with a note from you.  Using a small piece of material you can also cover the lid of the jar add the ribbon and you have "wrapped" your gift!

Strawberry Cake
with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
by Anne Byrn, The "Cake Mix Doctor"
Shirley Lambert of Tullahoma, Tennessee, takes strawberry cake seriously.  So seriously she adds only fresh strawberries to this dazzling pink cake, along with coconut and chopped pecans.  Now, this type of cake has been around for some time.  It's based on a white cake mix to which you add strawberry gelatin and berries.  But of the countless cakes of this genre I have tasted, this is my favorite.

Irish Cream Fudge
This week's Dessert of the Week features Irish Cream Fudge.  This delicious treat makes a great gift and family dessert.  This recipe makes about 5 pounds of fudge. You can use any kind of Irish Cream you choose.  Also nuts are optional and if you choose to add them, any type your like will work well with this recipe.

The Ultimate Party Drink Book
by Bruce Weinstein

The Ultimate Candy Book: More Than 700 Quick and Easy, Soft and Chewy, Hard and Crunchy Sweets and Treats
by Bruce Weinstein