This recipe comes from Bon Appetit and I have an admission: I didn’t follow the recipe. Instead of cooking the 3 flavors of chocolate in 3 separate bowls over simmering water, I microwaved them. Perhaps they wanted the cream cheese batter to be firmer, so it would plop on the top, instead of run, more like camouflage. (I’ve never studied camouflage design, so I’m not sure what it looks like in detail.) Of course I could have waited until the batter firmed up a little or microwaved it less, but I think that my end result looks pretty damn good. And after you taste these brownies, you might just say that these are the most sophisticated, adult brownies you’ve ever tasted.
Even switching to the microwave, these are a little more work than most brownies. Some people count work by the time it takes to complete a recipe. I never go by that, because the time I spend depends on how organized I am. When I am good, I put out my mise-en-place first and go from there. When I’m not, I bounce around from ingredient to ingredient, lose my place and oftentimes regretfully forget to add an ingredient. That proves the adage: A stitch in time saves nine. Or as I like to say, An ounce of prep, saves a pound of labor.
I count work by the amount of dishes I have to wash when I am finished. With this recipe, it is quite a few. But when the finished product tastes and looks as good as these, it is worth it.
About the cocoa
The only real variable in this recipe will be the cocoa you use. I made the recipe twice, once with Hershey’s Dark and once with Valhrona. The Valhrona brownies were a little darker with more pronounced chocolate flavor, but you could only tell if you tasted them side-by-side. I can say without hesitation, these brownies are a guaranteed hit with any good quality cocoa powder you use.
You need 1 large bowl for the brownie batter, on right. Remove 1/2 cup for the topping. A small bowl holds the cream cheese topping, which is divided in half. To the third small bowl with half the cream cheese batter, add 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa. This photo shows the batter with the 3 toppings.
In the Bon Appetit photo, the toppings are plopped in circles, more like camouflage, I guess. (I’ve never really studied that design.) My cream cheese toppings were a little too runny, so they spread. Oh my, did it matter? Not a bit.
Love the look of the cream, milk and dark chocolate. Unlike other brownies with 3 different toppings, the dark batter is denser so that it has different texture than the the cream cheese batters.
Camouflage Fudge Brownies
8 oz. cream cheese (not low-fat), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 + 2 large eggs, divided
1/3 cup + 1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp. plus 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1. Place a rack in middle of the oven; preheat to 325°. Lightly coat a 9x9" baking pan, preferably metal, with nonstick cooking oil spray or room-temperature unsalted butter. Line with parchment paper or foil, leaving extra overhanging 2 sides for a handle. Lightly coat parchment or foil with nonstick spray.
2. Place cream cheese in a medium, microwave-safe bow and microwave 30 seconds, or until soft enough to stir smooth. Whisk in egg, 1/3 cup sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt until very smooth.
3.Transfer 2/3 cup of cream cheese mixture to a small bowl and whisk in 1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder. Set both bowls of cream cheese mixture aside.
4. Cut 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter into 1" pieces. Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl with remaining 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. Microwave at 30 second intervals until butter melts and you can stir the mixture smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. .
5. Whisk in remaining 2 eggs, one at a time with remaining 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, until smooth and glossy Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and mix with spatula or spoon until no longer visible, then vigorously mix another 30 strokes.
6.Scoop out 1/2 cup brownie batter and set aside (place near a warm spot, like the oven, to keep it loose). Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Working quickly, spoon alternating dollops of cocoa–cream cheese mixture and cream cheese mixture over batter. Dollop reserved brownie batter on top (it will be quite thick). Don’t worry if your design looks random and spotted.
7. To bake: Bake brownies until center is set and no longer looks wet (the chocolate blobs will change from glossy and shiny to matte), 22–25 minutes.
8.Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Using parchment paper or foil overhang, lift brownies out of pan and transfer to a cutting board. Remove paper and cut brownies into sixteen 2¼" squares, wiping knife clean with a damp rag between slices.To easily cut even squares, cut the brownies into four quadrants, then slice each quadrant in four.
Makes 16 large brownies.
