Camouflage Chocolate Fudge Brownies

To develop the fifth recipe in the Basically Guide to Better Baking, we went back and forth for weeks debating the merits of a chewy brownie versus a fudgy one (no, we did not entertain "cakey" as an option). This is where we landed. It's pretty dang fudgy, thanks to cocoa powder (we worked off Alice Medrich's famous recipe), but a tangy layer of cream cheese offers sweet relief from the richness—and produces a very ‘70s-chic pattern. Make sure you're using large (not extra-large or jumbo eggs) so that the cream cheese batters don't turn out too thin. And don’t stress about your camo design: It’s meant to be random and the brownies will look even better after you slice them. Questions as you bake? Head to our forum for answers!