I had the idea for these brownies ages ago and I’m so disappointed that it took me so long to finally make them a reality. I love chocolate covered strawberries and brownies so combining them just seemed right. The fudgy brownie and the light strawberry layer work together perfectly, and the ganache on top is the finishing touch!

The Recipe

Let’s look at all three elements:

• the brownies – these are rich, fudgy, and perfect. I used my go-to brownie recipe and it continues to not let me down! the key for these to come out perfectly is to not overmix them. Mix just until there are no flour streaks but no longer or they’ll become cakey instead of fudgy.
• the strawberry layer – so simple and so good! ensure that your butter and cream cheese are fully room temperature before whipping or you’ll end up with chunks instead of a smooth mixture. You can use store bought or homemade strawberry jam!
• the ganache – it’s rich and the perfect topping! it’ll seem like it won’t come together but just keep mixing and it will. when poured over the top of the strawberry layer it’ll become smooth and shiny, making the perfect finish for this dessert

Variations

I love switching up flavor combinations to make something brand new from a recipe I already know works! There are two elements here that are perfect for experimenting with:

• the fruit – while I went with strawberry, you could absolutely switch up which jam you use in these! I think an orange marmalade would be awesome, especially with the cream cheese it could end up being an orange creamsicle sort of situation
• cheesecake vibes – I am not a huge cream cheese fan (I KNOW) so for the strawberry layer I used equal parts butter and cream cheese. However, if you wanted to go for a strong cream cheese flavor to make these more of a cheesecake brownie you could definitely go that route!

These are a dream – only a few ingredients and so, so good. And they look elegant, making them the perfect dessert when you’re trying to impress!

Yield: 12 brownies

Chocolate Strawberry Brownies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

These Chocolate Strawberry Brownies are the perfect thing to make for your next get together, or just for yourself! The fudgy brownie and the light strawberry layer work together perfectly, and the ganache on top is the finishing touch. They're so easy, and look so impressive!

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Ingredients

for the brownies

• 30 g (6 Tbsp) cocoa powder
• 113 g (1/4 cup) boiling water
• 4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 85 g (6 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• 56 g (1/4 cup) neutral oil
• 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 90 g (3/4 cup) flour

for the strawberry layer

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz (1 stick) butter, softened
• 113 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 80 g (1/4 cup) strawberry jam
• 100 g (4-5 large) strawberries, chopped into small pieces

for the ganache topping

• 85 g (1/2 cup) dark chocolate, chopped
• 60 g (1/4 cup) heavy cream

Instructions

1. make the brownies: preheat the oven to 350* and line an 8x8 pan with foil
2. in a large heatproof bowl, bloom the cocoa powder by combining it with the boiling water. add the chocolate, butter, and oil and place over a pot of simmering water, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the water. heat, stirring frequently, just until the chocolate and butter are melted and remove from the heat
3. add the sugar to the chocolate mixture and combine well. add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla, and mix until fully combined. finally, add the flour and mix until just combined
4. bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan. let cool completely. if you haven't already pulled out your butter and cream cheese to soften now is a good time to do that!
5. make the strawberry layer: in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes on medium high. add the powdered sugar, jam, and salt and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes. fold in the chopped strawberries then spread the mixture on top of the fully cooled brownies. carefully spread it out to the edges and make the top as flat as you can. refrigerate for 30 minutes
6. make the ganache topping: place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. heat the cream until its very warm but not hot to the touch and pour on top of the chocolate. let sit for 5-10 minutes and then mix until it comes together into a smooth, creamy ganache. remove the brownies from the fridge and top with the ganache, carefully smoothing it to the edges
7. enjoy! place the brownies in the fridge for another 30 minutes or up to overnight before slicing and enjoying! store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.