These brownies satisfy on so many levels – the edges are slightly chewy, the interior is slightly gooey and you get some cheesecake swirled throughout the mix. The peanut butter is very faint in this recipe and really adds to the texture. If you have a peanut allergy, use almond butter or another nut butter.

Makes one 8” x 8” pan

CHEESECAKE BATTER

Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, whisk together until smooth:

8 oz full fat (not light) cream cheese, room temperature

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp almond extract

Set aside. No need to clean the whisk – you’ll use it for the cocoa batter

COCOA BATTER

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use the mini ones)

¼ cup smooth regular (sweetened) peanut butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

 

2/3 cup almond flour or meal

2 tbsp cocoa, preferably Dutch process

½ tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8” x 8” pan.

Melt together the semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter and olive oil. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a mixer, using the same whisk as for the cheesecake batter, whisk together on medium-high speed the brown sugar and eggs for 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the melted chocolate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Using a spatula, stir in the almond flour mixture into the egg-cocoa mixture by hand until combined.

Transfer 2/3 of the batter to the pan, reserving 1/3 of the batter. Dollop over the cream cheese mixture in random spots all over the top of the cocoa batter. Dollop over the remaining 1/3 of the cocoa batter. Using the handle end of a spoon, swirl the two batters together to create a marble effect.

Bake about 20 minutes. Drape over a sheet of aluminium foil over the pan to prevent the cheesecake batter from browning too much. Bake an additional 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre has only a small amount of semi-cooked batter on it. Remove from oven and let cool.