Tiramisu Brownies
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Whether you like this particular holiday or not, you have to admit it’s a great excuse to eat chocolate. And although we don’t actually need an excuse to eat chocolate, it’s still a great reason to make — and eat — an over-the-top chocolate dessert. Our assignment for Valentine’s Day 2022: Tiramisu Brownies.
Brownies…But Sexier
Yep, these beauties are a mashup of brownies and tiramisu. Think deeply fudgy brownies with pieces of ladyfingers mixed in, then covered in a thick, creamy mascarpone-whipped-cream-Kahlua topping and a hearty dusting of cocoa powder. A decidedly sexier version of brownies…perfect for Valentine’s Day.
The Fudgiest Brownies
This sultry dessert starts with luscious, deeply chocolatey brownies. This is the same recipe I used for my Fudgy Dark Chocolate Double Ginger Brownies (and two brownie recipes in my Chocolate Cookies & Bars eBook), but tweaked ever so slightly.
To get that intense chocolate flavor we want, we use unsweetened chocolate, plus a little espresso powder and a shot of Kahlua. That chocolate-coffee-booze combo is the start of any great chocolate dessert.
Pro tip: Baking chocolate can be a little on the steep side ($$$), so keep an eye out for sales and stock up. That way, when you NEED brownies, you’ll be all set.
To our chocolate brownie base, we add chopped up ladyfingers. If you’re not familiar, ladyfingers are fingers of vanilla sponge cake that are used to make tiramisu, trifles, and other desserts. You’ll typically find them in the cookie section of your grocery store. They start out crisp, but soften as the brownies bake, and in the finished dessert they’re soft and cakey.
Then, as soon as the brownies come out of the oven, we brush them with a bit more Kahlua for extra booziness…it’s Valentine’s Day, after all.
The Creamiest Mascarpone Topping
Kahlua isn’t traditionally used in tiramisu — most recipes call for marsala wine — but I wanted to up the coffee flavor in these brownies so it stood out more in that sea of chocolate. (Also, it’s what I had on hand.) Dark rum would work too. In addition to mixing Kahlua into the brownies and brushing it on top, we stir a hearty dose of it into the mascarpone topping.
Mascarpone is a rich, buttery cheese used in tiramisu and other desserts, as well as in some savory recipes. You might be tempted to try to replace it with cream cheese…but don’t. While cream cheese might make a perfectly tasty dessert, it just won’t give you that lusciously buttery texture we want here. Treat yourself to the mascarpone.
Tiramisu Brownies For Your Valentine…or Simply For Yourself
Put it all together, and you have one hell of a sexy Valentine’s Day dessert.
Whether you enjoy these brownies with your valentine, galentine, or a good bottle of wine and a warm bath, you won’t regret making a batch this weekend. Grab your brownie pan, preheat the oven, and let’s get to it.
Enjoy!
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Tiramisu Brownies
Equipment
- 9×9 square cake pan
- Medium saucepan
- large heat-proof mixing bowl
- KitchenAid mixer with whisk attachment, or hand mixer
- instant-read or candy thermometer
- heat-proof spatula
- small mesh sieve or sifter
Ingredients
Brownies
- 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 2 T cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 2 T vegetable oil
- 7 oz (about 1 1/3 c) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 1 c brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 T Kahlua or dark rum
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c ladyfingers, cut into 1/4-in pieces
- 1/2 T Kahlua or Dark Rum, for brushing on warm brownies
Mascarpone Topping
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2T Kahlua or Dark Rum
- 1/2 c + 3T heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1-2 T cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 square cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 ends hanging over the edge of the pan. Grease the parchment with baking spray or butter/oil and flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, kosher salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter, oil, and unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally, until melted and uniform. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in both sugars until combined, then add the eggs, whisking until glossy and smooth, about 45 seconds. Whisk in Kahlua/rum and vanilla until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients, then the ladyfinger pieces. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with only a few moist crumbs. While still warm, brush top of brownies with the 1/2 T Kahlua (or drizzle on). Move to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours.
Mascarpone Topping
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large heat-safe mixing bowl using a hand mixer), beat egg yolks on low speed just until combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, scraping bowl as needed (about 1 1/2-2 minutes).
- Add 3T of the heavy whipping cream and beat at medium speed until combined, about 20-30 seconds. Scrape bowl.
- Set bowl over a medium saucepan with an inch or two of gently simmering water. Cook, constantly scraping bowl with a heat-proof spatula, until mixture reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer (it will coat the back of a spoon at this point), about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, whisk vigorously to cool it off a little, then let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes or so. Then whisk in the Kahlua or rum until combined.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and beat at medium speed with the whisk attachment until no lumps remain, about 30-45 seconds. Transfer mixture to another bowl and set aside.
- Beat the rest of the heavy whipping cream at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.Gently fold 1/3 of whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
- Top cooled brownies with mascarpone-whipped cream, spreading it evenly and into the corners of the pan. Dust top with cocoa powder.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Cut, serve, and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to a month. (Hot tip: these brownies are tasty right out of the freezer)
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