Brownies:

½ cup salted butter

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 recipe Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting 

Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a small saucepan cook and stir 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces over low heat until melted; cool.  In a medium bowl stir together two 3-ounce packages softened cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar. Stir in melted chocolate until smooth.

To make the brownies:

In a medium saucepan cook and stir butter and chocolate over low heat until melted; cool.  Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over edges of pan.  Grease foil; set pan aside. Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined.  Stir in vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. If desired, stir in nuts. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. If desired, spread Chocolate-Cream Cheese Frosting over brownies. Using the edges of the foil, lift uncut brownies out of pan. Cut into brownies.