Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

For the brownies:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

½ cup cocoa powder

2½ cups sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1½ cups all-purpose flour

For the pumpkin cheesecake:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 cup pureed canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter or spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

Make the brownie batter: Melt together the butter and chocolate in a medium-sized pot over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, sugar and salt, then blend in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, stirring quickly so they don't have a chance to cook at all before they are blended in. Blend in the flour.

Scrape about ¾ of the thick batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Set the pan and the remaining brownie batter (about one cup) aside.

Make the pumpkin cheesecake batter: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves and beat, scraping down the sides, until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then beat in the pumpkin, cream and vanilla until smooth. Spread the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the brownie batter in the pan, and then use a tablespoon to dollop remaining brownie batter over the top in spots. Use a dull knife to swirl the mixtures together on top, making sure to leave it very streaky, and not blend too much.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out clean.

Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Cut into 24 squares.

Makes 24 brownies

Nutritional information per serving: 283 calories; 166 calories from fat; 19 g fat (11 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 90 mg cholesterol; 166 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 21 g sugar; 4 g protein.

Katie Workman