Mascarpone Brownies

I saw this recipe on Bake or Break a few months ago, and was intrigued, but didn’t get around to actually making the brownies until yesterday. But, last night I was going over to a friend’s place, and had some unused mascarpone in my fridge, so I decided to take a whack at it. I first had these brownies when they were still warm from the oven, and then I had some again the next day once they had fully cooled off in the fridge. Served warm, they were deliciously gooey, served cold they were dense blocks of fudgy chocolate. In both cases they were rich and super chocolaty. I can’t swear that the mascarpone added anything that you can’t get from another brownie recipe, but I definitely liked it. And these brownies are all about the chocolate, so use good quality chocolate if you have it.

Mascarpone Brownies

Makes one 8 x 8 pan

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup mascarpone cheese
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
½ cup AP flour
¼ tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 and butter an 8 x 8 glass baking dish. In a microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate and butter together, using 30 second intervals at half power (this took two times through for me), stirring after each time.

2. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture. Stir until well combined. By hand, beat in the eggs, mascarpone and vanilla.

3. Sift the flour and salt over the mixture, and fold them into the rest of the mixture.

4. Pour the batter into the buttered baking dish. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack.

Ganache Topping

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 Tbs heavy cream
3 Tbs unsalted butter

1. Combine the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the ingredients in 30 second intervals at half power, mixing thoroughly after each time through. Continue until ganache is completely smooth and melted.

2. Pour the ganache over the brownies, and spread evenly.

3. Allow the brownies to cool and the ganache to solidify before serving.