French pâtissier and celebrity chef Eric Lanlard is one of P&O Cruises acclaimed Food Heroes. Here he shares three deliciously indulgent cake recipes

Cream cheese brownies

Serves 12

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

This takes the best of a rich, traditional brownie, but given a twist. The soft cream cheese adds a soft touch as well as a fresh sour-zesty taste.

Ingredients
For the brownies
150g (5oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
200g (7oz) plain dark chocolate, broken
into pieces
100ml (3½ fl oz) freshly made strong espresso
250g (9oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
3 eggs
100g (3½oz) plain flour
For the marbling mixture
150g (5oz) cream cheese
60g (2¼oz) caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C)/350ºF/gas mark 4). Grease a 20cm (8in) square tin with extra butter, and line it with baking paper.
• Melt the measured butter and the chocolate in a large bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally. (The bowl should not touch the water.) Stir in the coffee, then remove the bowl from the heat and cool slightly.
• Stir the sugar, vanilla and salt into the butter-chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs, using an electric hand whisk, and beat until smooth. Sift in the flour and carry on beating until glossy. Set aside.
• For the marbling mixture, in a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then stir in the sugar, egg and vanilla.
• Spoon the first, dark mixture into the prepared tin, then add the cheese marbling mixture and use a knife to cut through to create a marbled effect. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. You may need to cover the tin with a piece of foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
• Allow to cool on a rack, then cut into squares.