Plaza bakery's cream cheese-topped chocolate brownies

PLAZA BAKERY'S CREAM CHEESE-TOPPED CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Located in Virginia Beach, VA., this family-owned bakery (OVER 50 YEARS!) is well-known for their pies, cakes, breads, and many other fabulous pastries.


1/2 c. unsalted butter
8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
4 lg. eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. flour
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate pieces

TOPPING:
1/2 c. sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 lg. egg, room temp.
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt



For topping: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9 inch square baking pan with 2 inch sides. Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Blend in egg, vanilla and salt. Set topping aside while preparing brownie batter.

For brownies: Melt chocolate and butter in heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl until thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate, then flour and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

Spoon cream cheese topping into pastry bag fitted with 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe cheese mixture in diagonal lines atop brownie batter, spacing lines 1/2 to 3/4 inch apart. Run tip of small knife through cream cheese on opposite diagonal, spacing 1/2 inch apart and creating "V" pattern. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of dessert comes out with a few moist crumbs still attached, about 40 minutes.

Cool dessert in pan on rack 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.) Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen. Cut dessert into 12 brownies. Serve brownies cold. 12 servings.