Best-ever Brownies

Submitted by MsLizze

"These are the best brownies I have ever had. They are quite rich, and a little gooey. They are perfect when you want intense chocolate. I modified the recipe from a cake I found in The Cake Mix Doctor. They may come out not looking quite done inside, but they are."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 20-30 brownies

ingredients

• Crust

• 1 package plain chocolate cake mix (I used german chocolate and added about a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa.)
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1⁄4 cup light sour cream

• Filling

• 1 (8 ounce) package light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 3⁄4 cups semisweet chocolate, for melting
• 3 3⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

directions

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Set aside an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. For the crust, place the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl.
4. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes.
5. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. The batter should come together in a ball.
7. Pat the batter evenly over the bottom fo the pan, making sure it is smooth.
8. Set aside the pan.
9. For the filling, melt the chocolate.
10. Place the cream cheese in the same mixing bowl, using the same beaters, and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds.
11. Stop and add the eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and melted chocolate and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
12. Stop and add the confectioners' sugar.
13. Beat on medium speed until the sugar is well blended, 1 minute more.
14. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
15. Pour the filling onto the crust and spread until it covers the entire surface.
16. Place the pan in the oven.
17. Bake the brownies until it looks like brownies on top, when they get that slightly crusty look or something, 45 to 47 minutes (the toothpick doesn't come out quite clean, but almost).
18. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes.
19. Cut into squares and serve.
20. To make the brownies not as bad for you, I'm thinking about substituting the first stick of butter with a cup of vegetable oil, maybe even reducing that in half.
21. Also I think you could get away with reducing the filling by 1/2 stick of butter and 3/4 cup of sugar, but I haven't tried it yet.