Tiramisu Brownies

Prep Time: 50 minutes   Cook Time: 40 minutes  Chilling Time: 1 hour   Servings: 10 pieces

These tiramisu brownies are made with a rich and fudgy brown butter brownie layer with soft espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream on top. It's the perfect combination of two beloved desserts in one.


Ingredients:

Brownies

  • 120 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 60 g natural cocoa powder
  • 250 g unsalted butter, roughly cubed
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 120 g brown sugar
  • 100 g all-purpose flour

Mascarpone Cream

  • 300 g mascarpone cheese, cold
  • 230 g whipping cream, cold
  • 50 g powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ladyfinger Soak

  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • 150 g hot water
  • 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur or dark rum, e.g. Kahlua (optional)
  • 12 ladyfingers

Topping

  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions:

Brownies

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 9x9" square baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. I like to overlap two sheets of parchment paper in a T-shape and secure the overhanging parchment to the pan with metal binder clips. Set aside.
  2. Chocolate mixture: In a medium bowl, add the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Set aside.
  3. Brown butter: In a small pan, heat the butter on medium heat until it has completely melted. Keep cooking it until the white milk solids separate out and the mixture bubbles and sizzles loudly. Stir often to help the milk solids cook evenly. Once the bubbling subsides, the mixture will begin to foam on the surface and the milk solids will begin to turn brown at the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat the moment the milk solids are golden brown and the mixture smells nutty.
  4. Melt chocolate: Pour the browned butter over the chocolate and cocoa powder. Let it sit undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Stir the mixture until the chocolate has completely melted. Set aside.
  5. Egg mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Use a whisk or electric hand mixer to mix until well-combined, about 3 minutes. While constantly whisking with one hand, slowly stream the brown butter-chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
  6. Fold in flour: Add the flour and fold together with a spatula until combined. Don't overmix.
  7. Fill pan: Transfer the brownie batter to your lined pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter into the corners of the pan and into an even layer.
  8. Bake: Bake brownies for about 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean but with some wetness.
  9. Cool: Let the brownies cool in the pan on a wire rack at room temperature or in the fridge while you prepare the mascarpone cream. The brownie layer can still be warm when adding the tiramisu topping but the sides of the pan should be cool to prevent the mascarpone from melting.

Mascarpone Cream

  1. Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add the mascarpone cheese. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the mascarpone just until loosened and creamy. Add the whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes. If you tilt the bowl, the mixture should just barely move and slide around the bowl. Set aside.

Ladyfinger Soak

  1. Stir: In a shallow bowl or tall cup, stir together espresso powder, hot water, and coffee liqueur.
  2. Dip ladyfingers: Dip each ladyfinger into the espresso soak very briefly, only about 1 second on each side, and let the excess drip off. They should not be completely soaked through otherwise they'll become mushy and fall apart. Arrange the soaked ladyfingers in rows on top of the brownie layer.
  3. Spread cream: Add the mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfinger layer. Use an offset spatula to smooth the cream into an even layer.
  4. Chill: Chill the tiramisu brownies in the fridge for about 1 hour before slicing to allow the cream to set and ladyfingers to soften.
  5. Dust with cocoa powder: Right before slicing, use a fine mesh sieve to dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder. Lift the entire sheet of tiramisu brownies out of the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper overhangs. Slice into squares with a large knife, wiping the knife in between each cut for clean-looking slices.

Tips & Notes:

  • Remove the browned butter from the heat promptly. The browning of the milk solids happens fast. Keep watching it and remove it from the heat once all of the little bits at the bottom of the pan are golden brown to prevent them from burning. Pour the browned butter into the bowl of chocolate immediately so it doesn't keep cooking in the hot pan.
  • Don't overbake the brownies. The brownies should be set on the edges and still slightly underbaked in the middle. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out slightly wet.
  • Let the brownies (and the pan) cool in the fridge right after baking. The pan should be cool to the touch before you add the mascarpone cream otherwise it will melt. Popping the pan in the fridge immediately stops the brownies from continuing to cook (and overbaking) and cools it down faster.
  • Don't completely soak the ladyfingers. A quick dip is enough to saturate the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture. They absorb liquid very quickly. If you submerge them for too long, they will become soggy and mushy and probably fall apart before you can even put it in the pan.
  • Warm up the brownies before serving if chilled overnight. Chilling the brownies for an extended amount of time makes them extra fudgy and dense since butter and chocolate both harden when cold. If you prefer this, great! If you prefer a softer brownie texture, I would recommend minimizing the amount of time the brownies spend in the fridge and also warming up the brownie layer (NOT the mascarpone layer) before cutting and serving by either submerging it the bottom of the pan in hot water or passing a kitchen torch across the bottom of the pan until warm.

Storage

  • These tiramisu brownies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days because of the mascarpone and cream in the tiramisu. However, they have the best texture at room temperature. Allow them to sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • The brownie layer (without the tiramisu layer) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I would recommend keeping the brownies at room temperature and only chilling them in the fridge after adding the tiramisu layer for only about 1 hour until set before serving for the best brownie texture.

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