Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Submitted by Susan Frank, recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Filling:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup (3 oz.) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg white

Brownies:

• Cooking spray
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1/3 cup raspberry preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

To prepare the filling, beat the first 5 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended, set aside.

To prepare the brownies, coat the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat the sides of the pan). Lightly spoon ¾ cup flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1 cup sugar and the next 6 ingredients (1 cup sugar through the 2 egg whites), beating well with electric mixer. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spread two-thirds of the batter in bottom of prepared pan and sprinkle with ¼ cup chocolate chips. Pour filling over batter and chips, spreading evenly. Stir ¼ cup chocolate chips into remaining batter and carefully drop the mixture and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings