Chocolate Cream Cheese Guinness Beer Brownies

From the National Beer Wholesalers Association.

Makes: 24
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature

Brownies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup white chocolate chips
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ cups Guinness or other stout beer at room temperature
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, or grease and flour the pan.

For the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar. Add the vanilla and egg until just blended. Set aside.

For the brownies: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter, bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined. Beat in the flour mixture and whisk in the beer; the batter will seem thin. Stir in the chocolate chips -- they will sink to the bottom. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top and run a knife through it several times to create a marble effect.

Bake 30 minutes, or until visible cream cheese is lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan before cutting into squares.

Nutrition: 253 calories (49 percent from fat), 14 grams fat (9 grams sat. fat), 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 113 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.