Rich chocolate brownies topped with a layer of marbled "cheesecake"

For brownies:

1 c butter (2 sticks), melted
2 c sugar
2 t vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 c cocoa
1 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c chopped nuts, optional

For cream cheese topping:

1/3 c sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened or slightly warmed
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla

1. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, eggs, and cocoa, beating after each addition.

2. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Add nuts if using. Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 pan.

3. In separate bowl, mix sugar and cream cheese until no lumps remain. Stir in egg and vanilla. Pour over brownie batter. Cut through batter with knife several times for a marbled effect.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until cream cheese topping is slightly browned.

5. Cool and store in refrigerator.

These brownies are the best!! This recipe makes moist-but-not-doughy, chewy-but-not-under-cooked, dense-but-not-soggy, super-chocolatey almost-fudgy brownies! I love them. They get a 10, absolutely. :D

As a side note, I dislike how these taste when warm. They must be well-chilled for the full effect :D I like them best just eaten plain, cold. Yum!!!!