Hazelnut Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients

 * 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
 * ¼ cup granulated sugar
 * 1 egg
 * 2 tsp lemon juice
 * ½ tsp vanilla
 * ¼ cup Oregon hazelnut meal (finely ground roasted hazelnuts)

Brownie batter

 * 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate morsels
 * ¼ cup butter or margarine
 * ¾ cup all-purpose white flour
 * 2 tbsp cocoa
 * ½ tsp baking powder
 * ¼ tsp salt
 * ¾ cup granulated sugar
 * 2 eggs
 * 1 tsp vanilla
 * ½ cup roasted and coarsely chopped Oregon hazelnuts

Directions

 * 1) In 1-quart bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
 * 2) Beat in egg, lemon juice and vanilla.
 * 3) Fold in hazelnut meal.
 * 4) Refrigerate while preparing brownie batter.

Brownie batter

 * 1) Melt chocolate morsels and butter over simmering water.
 * 2) Cool to 100-110°F.
 * 3) In small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
 * 4) Reserve.
 * 5) In 2-quart bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth and lemon colored, about 2 minutes.
 * 6) Beat in melted chocolate and butter.
 * 7) Add dry ingredients and beat until well mixed.
 * 8) Fold in chopped hazelnuts.
 * 9) Spread one half of the chocolate batter into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.
 * 10) Pour cream cheese filling over bottom layer.
 * 11) Gently spread remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer.
 * 12) Pull a metal spatula through the batter for a marbleized effect.
 * 13) Bake in 350°F oven for approximately 40 minutes.
 * 14) Do not over bake.
 * 15) Cool and serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar.