Marbled Brownies

It's not as marbled as I liked it to be but I think this will do for a marbling virgin. ;) My youngest's school was having their cake sale fund-raising day so she wanted me to bake at least one cake. Take note she said - I have to bake - no maybes, no requests, it's compulsary! Well, fortunately her mum is quite up to the challenge. One of the school's requirements was there should be no nuts in any of the cakes to take into consideration some of her nut-allergic schoolmates. I found this in the Cookies cookbook (the name of the author escapes me at the moment). Lovely texture and very nice luscious taste even with the walnuts omitted meaning it's a definite keeper of a recipe.


Marbled Brownies

250 g  dark chocolate (about 70% chocolate) - chopped
125 g  [1/2 cup] butter
350 g  [1 3/4 cup] caster sugar (superfine)
4 eggs
115 g  plain flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
115 g  [1 cup] chopped walnuts (optional)

*For the plain batter:
50 g  [scant 1/4 cup] butter - softened
175 g  [2/3 cup] cream cheese
115 g  [heaping 1/2 cup] caster sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan, grease the lining paper as well.


• For the chocolate batter:
  
  1. Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set on a saucepan of simmering water (making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water).
  2. Once melted, mix to combine, remove from saucepan and cool slightly.
  3. Add the vanilla and stir to mix.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
  5. Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes). Then gradually add the caster sugar while beating until well combined and smooth.
  6. Gently fold in the flour mixture in batches using a metal spoon until well blended.
  7. Next, gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture and walnuts (if using). Set aside about 1 1/2 cups of this chocolate batter.


• For the plain batter:
  1. Beat the cream cheese and butter together until well blended.
  2. Add in the caster sugar. Mix well.
  3. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and flour. Mix well.


• Spread the chocolate batter in the prepared baking pan. Pour the plain batter on top.
• Drop spoonful mounds of the reserved chocolate batter on top of the plain batter.
• Using a metal skewer or butter knife, swirl mixtures to marble making sure not to blend completely.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until just set.
  Cool for 5 minutes in pan then unmold and cool completely. Cut into squares or bars for serving.