Peanutbutter Cream Cheese Brownies

These brownies are really good! The first time I made them I thought it would be fun to use nutella. I think nutella is the best thing ever, and honestly, I could eat a whole jar myself! Anyway, the hazelnut flavor didn't come out as much as I would have liked. I made them again recently and used peanut butter and I think they are better this way. They are actually pretty darn good either way you choose to make them!

Brownie Layer:
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ C. unsalted butter, diced
½ C. sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
½ C. flour
¼ t. salt
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 F. Spray 9-inch square metal baking pan with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment paper leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Stir chocolate and butter in medium saucepan over low heat until smooth; cool 10 minutes. Beat sugar, eggs and vanilla in medium bowl until very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed, then beat in flour and salt. Spread batter in pan.

Cheesecake Layer:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 C. Natural peanut butter
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 C. sugar
2 large eggs
2 T. heavy whipping cream
2 T. flour
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
Beat together cream cheese, pb, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in cream, then flour. Transfer 1/3 cup cheesecake batter to small bowl and reserve. Spread remaining cheesecake batter over brownie layer. Microwave chocolate in a small bowl for 10-second intervals until chocolate begins to melt, then stir until smooth. Mix chocolate into reserved 1/3 cup cheesecake batter. Drop chocolate batter by heaping teaspoonfuls on top of the cheesecake layer. Using a wooden skewer or knife, swirl chocolate batter in figure-eight pattern through white cheesecake layer. Bake brownies until edges of cheesecake layer are puffed and center is set, about 36 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on rack. Cover; chill at least 1 hour. Lift the brownies out of the pan and cut into 25 squares. The parchment paper makes it really easy to remove the brownies from the pan, so I would definitely recommend using it. Serve cold.