Strawberry Red Wine Cream Cheese Brownies

101

By Imperial Sugar

Prep Time:

30m

Bake/Cook Time:

26m

Yield:

12 brownies

When we say this is an award-winning brownie recipe, we're not exaggerating. This decadent Strawberry Red Wine Cream Cheese Brownie recipe by Nikki Miller-Ka was named the BEST brownie at the 2013 Food & Wine Conference. Swirls of strawberry cream cheese infused with just the right amount of red wine are mixed in with a rich, fudgy brownie. Give it a try and you'll see why it was a winner!

Rate it yourself

Products Used

Extra Fine Granulated Pure Cane Sugar Bag

Ingredients

Strawberry Red Wine Cream Cheese

2 cups Pinot Noir or other red wine
2 – 8-ounce packages cream cheese, very soft
1 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup strawberry fruit spread or strawberry jam

Brownies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 1/4 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks butter, very soft
2 1/4 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

Place red wine in a wide saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until mixture is reduced to ½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely. You can speed the cooling by placing it in an ice bath.
Mix cream cheese layer. On lowest speed, mix soft cream cheese and sugar until no lumps remain.
Add one egg and mix until completely smooth and lump free. Repeat with remaining egg.
Add vanilla and combine. Add flour and mix in thoroughly.
Add fruit spread and once combined add cooled wine reduction. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter all sides of a 9 x 13 -inch pan. For easy removal, line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper and set aside.
For brownie layer sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder and set aside.
Mix butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix until well creamed. Add one egg at a time waiting for previously added egg is incorporated before adding next and scraping bowl in between additions. Add salt, vanilla and chocolate chips.
Spread half of batter into prepared pan.
Spread cream cheese mixture over brownie batter.
Using a spoon drop the remaining brownie batter in irregular shapes onto cream cheese layer. Part of brownie mixture will sink into cream cheese layer.
Bake for 42-44 minutes or until center of pan has set.
Allow brownies to cool completely. Run a knife around edges of pan. Place a sheet of parchment on the surface of brownies followed by a large cutting board. Turn upside down and remove pan.
If you desire to have high end bakery precise cuts place brownies in the freezer for 1 hour or overnight before cutting. (Wrapped they can be frozen for a week.)
Cut into desired pieces.