Thursday, January 17, 2013

Toffee Cream Cheese Brownies

People are interesting creatures. Really, we are. You have those people, and maybe you know one or two, but those people who are hyper focused workaholic types who can never get out of their own head and take a breath of the life they are missing out of? Yeah, I bet you know the type. Well, eventually those people dry up. And it's sad and it's hard, but sometimes it's just like the life is sucked out of them. But you have the opposite side of the spectrum too, and I'm not sure that's too much better. Because instead of drying up, these people burn out. They go too hard to fast and eventually, life gets the better of them. So where is the line?  
I am going to attempt to make this work. This analogy. This idea. So just... I don't know, humor this post and go with me. Think yin and yang. Black and white. So, you see that? Okay, so it's total opposites. And really one doesn't exist without the other. You cannot appreciate the light if you never see the dark, and all that jazz. Well, that's life, right? Maybe over simplified, but still, like I said, just go with me.  
So imagine life if it were the perfect merger of both. The work and the play, sweet and the tough, timid and the bold, the naive and the wise. It's like a swirly wonderful  mixed up brownie. Yes. I went there. You'll thank me when it's over.

Toffee Cream Cheese Brownies 
1/2 cup butter 
1 1/3 cup white sugar 
3 eggs 
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened 
1/3 cup toffee bits -or- chocolate chips 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan. 
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 cup sugar, 2 of the eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. 
3. Spread batter into prepared pan. 
4. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla; mix until well incorporated and then fold in the toffee bits.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls over brownie batter; swirl with knife. Bake 35 to 40 min. or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting to serve. Keep refrigerated.