I can’t bear to waste food. And I absolutely refused to throw away the unopened tube of Smucker’s Seedless Strawberry Jam I had bought months ago with the Skippy Peanut Butter, all in the spirit of making hypothetical PB&J sandwiches for work. However, the May expiration date was fast approaching. With my Google cap on, I foraged the internet for recipes and finally found what I was looking for on the Smucker’s website. I baked the Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies as a 23rd birthday present for a very special friend.
Ingredients:
Non-Stick Cooking Spray
1 package Fudge Brownie mix
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup water
4 large eggs, divided
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Seedless Strawberry Jam
Instructions:
1) Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, oil, water and 2 eggs in large bowl; stir 50 strokes with spoon. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.
2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Mix in remaining 2 eggs, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour evenly over warm brownie.
3) Stir jam until smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls over surface of filling. With a knife, swirl jam gently through filling to create marble effect. Bake additional 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool 1 hour. Loosely cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours or more. Cut into bars. Serve with strawberries.
Look at that pretty strawberry swirl =)
The amount of cream cheese that went into the recipe only served as a reminder that I limit my cheesecake consumption when dining out. I originally considered skipping the 1 tsp of vanilla extract due to its high cost and minimum usage, but it really does make a difference! Don’t skip out on the lemon juice either.
Another side note – Make sure you cook the brownie mix for the full 20 minutes! I made the mistake of baking it for about 15 minutes because my pan was slightly larger than 13×9 and I thought the brownie would harden too much after baking an additional 35-40 minutes with the cheesecake mixture on top. While still delicious, the brownie portion tasted more like frosting than a brownie. =(
I've been told that a certain smile breaks across my face whenever the subject of food is brought up, a smile that radiates the purest forms of delight and happiness. Food transcends beyond the smell and taste of what's presented in front of me; it's an experience to be enjoyed, indulged, shared with those I love. Working and living in NYC continually opens culinary doors, from hole-in-the-walls to upscale (even stuffy) dining. I never take any morsel of food for granted, and I'm often THAT girl at the table found licking her plate at the end of the meal.
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Wow the swirl really looks so yummy…. I will definitely try this out!!!