Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

My six year old is upset this week about a certain shape.  A heart to be exact.

According to him, it looks nothing like an actual "heart", which has ventricles, arteries, and connective tissue.

Personally, I'm fine with a symbol of love that doesn't include graphic diagrams of my insides, but apparently I'm the crazy one.


It's hard having a kid that's so literal.  What am I supposed to get him now for Valentine's day? A box of candy with human organs drawn on the outside?

He would actually like that, is the scary thing.


Concerning brownies though,

I took these to my cute girls I teach at our church and they went crazy for them! What's not to like about milk chocolate chips, fresh raspberries, and cheesecake anyways?  Oh, and brownies of course.    

You can even cut them into heart shapes if you want.  

Other organs are fine too.

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Recipe adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

-1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened completely
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 large egg

-1 box brownie mix and the ingredients to prepare (I used Betty Crocker)
-1 Tbsp raspberry extract
-1 cup Guittard milk chocolate chips, heaping

-1-1 1/4 cups raspberries (frozen is fine, but thaw them on a paper towel for at least 30 minutes before using to drain some of the excess moisture)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan well.

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg until smooth. Set aside.


Prepare brownies according to box instructions, but add 1 Tbsp raspberry extract along with the eggs and the oil.  Don't skimp, a full tablespoon is really necessary.  Stir in the milk chocolate chips.

Spread half of the brownie batter into prepared pan. Top with cream cheese mixture and spread it gently over brownie batter.  Spoon remaining brownie batter on top of the cream cheese.  Press raspberries into the batter.  I like a lot of raspberries so I use about 1 1/4 cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for  30-40 minutes.  Mine took about 38 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting, and topping with powdered sugar. 

Store in the refrigerator, but allow to come to room temperature before eating.