Gooey Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies {Vegan}

We will not be held responsible for any damage caused to your keyboard which you have effectively drooled all over. Obviously, you're drooling right now because these look so delicious. And, guess what? They are! These are ooey-gooey-nice-and-chewy-rhythm-and-blues... yeah! (If anyone other than Riley gets that reference then we need to be best friends for eternity). Take the time and effort to make these but REMEMBER.... they need to cool! And cool well they must before you can enjoy. 

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies

From Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients

3 ounces firm silken tofu, like Mori-Nu (1/4 of the package)

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cream cheese topping

8 ounces plain vegan cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch brownie pan with parchment paper; it should cover the bottom as well as curve up and cover the sides. Take cream cheese out of the fridge to soften it.

Puree the tofu, nondairy milk, and oil in a blender or food processor until smooth and fluffy. (I used a hand-held immersion blender) Use a spatula to scrape down the sides to make sure you get everything.

Transfer the tofu mixture to a mixing bowl. Use a fork to vigorously mix in the sugar. Add vanilla.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Using a sifter is important; clumpy cocoa or cornstarch can ruin your precious brownie, so sift! Use a spatula to fold and mix batter until smooth. Transfer the batter to the pan and spread to corners of the pan.

To make the topping: In a mixing bowl, using electric beaters, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the arrowroot powder, flour and vanilla and beat once more until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the entire mixture over the uncooked brownie batter, smoothing the topping evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and gently stir the topping once more to distribute the chips into the topping.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. When it’s cool enough to touch, place the pan in the refrigerator to chill the brownies overnight or until firm. The easiest way to slice cooled fudgy brownies is to use a regular disposable plastic knife, running it through the brownies, top to bottom, end to end. Store the brownies chilled and in a tightly covered container, letting them warm on the counter for 10 minutes prior to serving, if desired.