Zebra Brownies

I found out that my love is coming up for a visit tomorrow, and while my attentions would have been better directed toward cleaning the apartment (I did some, I swear!) I decided that some sort of treat was in order. So I made zebra brownies! They're fudgey brownies with cream cheese icing and chocolate drizzled on them and they are... mmmm. So good. A little on the rich side, but who's going to complain? Hopefully he enjoys them as much as I did taste testing them! Normally I'd make my sister's brownie recipe but did not tonight for two reasons, first I didn't need as much as it usually makes, and second I think she'd beat me if I posted it online! She makes them better than anyone else, so I won't bother trying to compete :) The recipe I used is after the jump!

Fudgy brownies

1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter (or margarine, in my case)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 oz semisweet chocolate (chips or squares)
splash of vanilla

Melt the butter and sugar together, then add sugar, eggs, vanilla. Once combined add the flour and the salt. Spread brownie batter into a greased pan and bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes. They should be done at the edges and still fudgey but not wet.

Cream cheese icing

1/4 pkg softened cream cheese (2oz, or 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp softened butter (margarine)
1/2 cup icing sugar
splash of vanilla

Blend the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth, then add sugar gradually until all the icing is smooth and creamy. Be sure to taste test... and then taste test it again... and again!

Once the brownies are cooled spread the cream cheese icing over top, then drizzle with chocolate topping. For mine I put a couple tbsp worth of chocolate chips into a ziploc bag, added a smudge of margarine, and melted them (in the bag) in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then I smushed them together to mix it all up, cut off the tip, and drizzled to my heart's content!