One Egg Fudgy Cheesecake Brownies Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to soften. Measure all the ingredients and have them ready. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) when you begin mixing the brownie batter. Prepare a wire cooling rack for later. Have a skewer on hand for swirling. It's also helpful to have a small saucepan for browning the butter and a large bowl for whipping the eggs.

Instructions

Cheesecake & Browned Butter

1. 1Make the Cheesecake Swirl
   In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Continue beating until the mixture is velvety and completely smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.
   Look for The mixture should be glossy and free of lumps.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Make sure the cream cheese is truly softened for a silky swirl.
2. 2Brown the Butter
   In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns a deep amber color and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
   Look for The butter will foam and then turn golden brown with a nutty aroma.
   Tip Watch closely to prevent burning; the butter will darken quickly.
3. 3Mix the Chocolate Base
   Pour the hot browned butter over the Dutch-process cocoa, chopped chocolate, espresso powder, and vegetable oil in a large heatproof bowl. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes.
   Look for The mixture should be glossy and well combined.
   Tip Cooling prevents the eggs from scrambling when added later.

The cheesecake mixture should be smooth and creamy, with no lumps. The browned butter will be a deep amber color and smell nutty. The chocolate mixture should be glossy and smooth, with the chocolate completely melted. These components form the bases of the two layers.

Batter & Swirl

4. 4Whip the Eggs and Sugars
   In a separate large bowl, beat the 3 eggs with the brown sugar and confectioners' sugar using an electric mixer. Whip on high speed for 5 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and voluminous.
   Look for The mixture should form a ribbon when the beaters are lifted.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Proper whipping adds air, contributing to a tender crumb.
5. 5Combine Wet and Dry
   Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs gently until just combined. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and fold again until no streaks remain. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
   Look for The batter should be uniform and glossy with a few flour streaks remaining.
   Tip Fold gently to retain the air you whipped in.
6. 6Layer and Swirl
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper. Spread half of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the cheesecake mixture over the batter. Cover with the remaining brownie batter. Use a skewer to swirl the two mixtures together.
   Look for The top should have a marbled pattern with distinct ribbons.
   Tip Do not over-swirl; you want distinct layers for a pretty cross-section.

The whipped egg mixture should be pale and thick, tripled in volume. When you fold in the chocolate and flour, the batter should be uniform with a few streaks. The swirl pattern in the pan should show distinct ribbons of cheesecake and brownie, not a homogenous mix.

Bake & Cool

7. 7Bake the Brownies
   Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. The edges will be set and the top will look slightly cracked.
   Look for The top will be shiny and the edges will pull away from the pan.
   Safe temperature 160°F (71°C) internal temperature (egg dishes)
   Tip Start checking at 35 minutes to avoid overbaking.
8. 8Cool and Slice
   Let the brownies cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Then lift them out using the parchment paper and let cool completely before slicing into 16 squares.
   Look for The brownies should be firm enough to slice cleanly.
   Tip For cleaner slices, chill the brownies for 15 minutes before cutting.

The brownies are baked when the top is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. The kitchen will smell richly of chocolate and butter. After cooling, the brownies should be firm enough to lift out and slice into clean squares, revealing the marbled interior.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is overmixing the batter after adding the flour, which can develop gluten and result in tough brownies. Another is over-swirling the cheesecake mixture, which can muddy the layers and lose the distinct ribbons.

Also, be careful not to overbake, as brownies should remain moist and fudgy. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil. And do not skip the cooling time before slicing; cutting too early will result in messy pieces.

How to tell it’s done

The brownies are done when the top is set and looks slightly dull, and the edges are pulling away from the pan.

A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C) to ensure the eggs are fully cooked.

If the toothpick comes out with gooey batter, bake for an additional 5 minutes and check again. Remember that the brownies will continue to set as they cool, so it's better to slightly underbake than to overbake.

• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C) in the thickest part