My enduring love for all things almond-y has found its way into a brownie. Bake these and your house will smell like an Italian bakery! I suppose on a miniature scale, my kitchen kinda is.
I think of these brownies as rather sophisticated, but they’re kid-friendly, too. When I made them last month, my friend’s little girl (5 and 3/4 years old, thank you) asked:
“Did you make these all by yourself?”
I replied, “Yes, I did, because I don’t have a helper. Would you like to be my helper sometime?”
To which my little friend nodded and smiled enthusiastically. So sweet.
So, with or without a helper, let’s swirl up some brownies, shall we? And Chelsea, you can bake with this kat anytime!
ALMOND SWIRL BROWNIES
adapted from my all-time favorite brownie recipe from Ghirardelli
For the brownies
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
3/4 cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate & Cocoa
2/3 cup unsifted flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks (I chopped up Valrhona feves)
For the almond cream layer
Process in mini food processor till smooth:
4 oz. cream cheese (I use Neufchatel, 1/3 less fat)
4.5 oz. almond paste
1 large egg
1/8 tsp. bitter almond
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a spoon, stir eggs with sugar and vanilla; add butter.
Now here’s my crazy kat trick, if you don’t know it already: I save an empty Ghirardelli can to shake all the dry ingredients together ’cause I find sifting to be a chore. So shake or sift–however you roll!
Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture. Stir in chocolate chunks. Spread half the batter in a buttered 8″ square pan.
Smooth the almond cream mixture over the bottom brownie batter layer.
Cover completely with remaining brownie batter. Swirl with a knife to marble.
Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and enjoying!
Is it just me, or do you see an alien in a dress at the bottom right of the pan?!
September 1, 2012 at 10:18 am
Oh, so now it is you that is the temptress. I love almond paste, I could eat it out of the package. I keep telling myself stay away from the dessert, but it’s so hard when they look this good.
-GIna-
September 1, 2012 at 11:34 am
What can I say–I run with people with bad habits. 🙂 You and me both with the almond paste, by the way. I even like the little fruits they make out of it.
September 2, 2012 at 3:33 pm
I saw your pot moose. I know you said someone made it for you. Are they selling them? I would love to give this as a gift for each family of our supper club and keep one for me!
September 10, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Hi, Ellen. I’m sorry for the delayed response. The pot moose was specially made for me–small batch, limited edition. I’m very flattered you asked, though. 🙂
September 1, 2012 at 10:51 am
Now I’ve had cream cheese brownies but never with the addition of the most delicious almond paste. Way to go, Katty!
September 1, 2012 at 11:34 am
Thank you, thank you. 🙂
September 4, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Delicious! I love the combo of almonds and chocolate…especially when it comes in the form of swirled brownies. Thank you for sharing!
September 10, 2012 at 8:15 am
Beautiful pan of brownies! I have a cake recipe using almond paste- I love that stuff;-) Will have to see if I can dig up that recipe, I remember making it a few times and that it was good! Maybe I’ll double up on the almond paste and see what happens, thrill seeker that I am;-)