Oreo Cream Fudge Brownies

I am really proud of this recipe because it is all mine. Well, I combined elements from three different recipes, but the inspiration and end-result were my original idea. These brownies are extremely rich and chocolatey, so if you're not a hard-core chocoholic, you may want to stick to regular brownies. :)

Fudge Brownies
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cake or all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and chopped chocolate. Heat until melted, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended. Sprinkle the sifted flour over the mixture and stir until just blended. You don't really need to use the cake flour since these are dense brownies, but if you want them to be a little lighter and fluffier, go ahead. Stir in chips. You'll notice that there is no chemical leavening in this recipe. That's what makes these more dense and fudgy instead of light and cakey.

Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch square, preferably glass. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out almost clean. Do not overbake. Cool completely.

Oreo Cream
1/2 package cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 cups thawed whipped topping
6 Oreos, crushed

Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and crushed cookies. Spread over cooled brownies. You can add as much or as little as you want. The brownies are a very dark chocolate, almost bitter, so the sweetness of the Oreo cream is a great complement.

Chocolate Ganache
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat cream in microwave or in saucepan until small bubbles start to form. Stir in chocolate until melted. Let cool slightly. Spread over Oreo cream and refrigerate until ready to serve.