Neapolitan Brownies

I was feeling really creative today and I wanted to experiment with a dessert. I always loved Neapolitan ice cream growing up and I wanted to bring those flavors into a dessert that didn't need to be stored in the freezer. The method of making these little gems is similar to making a marble cake. You get a little bit of everything; rich chocolate, the smooth vanilla, and the sweet strawberry flavors. I love the way it looks when it is finished because it brings back memories of big bowls of ice cream with my grandparents.

Tips:

Store properly - You may think that because this is a brownie it will be safe to store on the counter; in fact this is a cheesecake-like brownie, so they should be stored in the refrigerator.
Adjust to your tastes - I know some people prefer the taste of dark chocolate, so you can definitely substitute dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet. 
Exact Extract - This recipe calls for strawberry extract. I found strawberry extract at Walmart in the baking section, but you can always use almond extract if you cannot find strawberry.
Cold can help - It makes it a little easier to spread each layer without smearing them together if you put the pan in the freezer  in between layering.
Egg-celent - I really like this recipe because you don't end up with left over egg whites or yolks. Make sure to separate them correctly.

*Note: You can also prepare the recipe as follows, without the strawberry steps and keeping the same amount of ingredients, then frost the brownies with strawberry frosting.*

Oven Temperature: 350 degrees

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 45-50 minutes 

Servings: 16 brownies

Chocolate layer
1/2 cup (4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Vanilla/Strawberry layer

12 ounces cream cheese (1 1/2 packages)

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Additional: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

               1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract

               4-5 drops red food coloring

Directions: 

1) Adjust the oven shelves so that the brownies will bake in the center. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2) Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Grease the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

3) In a microwave-safe medium mixing bowl, combine butter and chocolate chips. Microwave on high for 25 seconds. Stir until smooth.

4) Allow the chocolate to cool a few minutes. 

5) Add sugar, vanilla, and egg whites to the chocolate and stir until smooth. 

6) Add in flour and salt. Stir until combined.

7) Spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan. Place in freezer until the next layer.

8) In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and sugar with an electric mixer (occasionally scraping the sides) on medium speed until smooth.

9) Transfer 1 cup of the batter into another small bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until combined.

10) Remove pan from freezer and evenly spread the vanilla layer carefully over the chocolate layer. Return the pan to the freezer.

11) With the remaining batter, stir in strawberry extract and food coloring until combined.

12) Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the strawberry layer evenly over the vanilla layer.

13) Place the pan into the oven and bake the brownies for 45-50 minutes or until the tops is golden and center of the brownies is firm.

14) Refrigerate at least an hour before cutting and store, covered, in the refrigerator.