Rich, fudgy brownies studded with ladyfinger pieces and topped with a creamy, Kahlua-spiked mascarpone topping. Mascarpone topping mixture adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker's tiramisu recipe).
KitchenAid mixer with whisk attachment, or hand mixer
instant-read or candy thermometer
heat-proof spatula
small mesh sieve or sifter
Ingredients
Brownies
3/4call-purpose flour
2Tcocoa powder
1/4tspbaking powder
1/2tspkosher salt
1tspespresso powder
1/2cbutter, softened
2Tvegetable oil
7oz(about 1 1/3 c) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1cgranulated sugar
1cbrown sugar
3large eggs
1TKahlua or dark rum
2tspvanilla extract
1cladyfingers, cut into 1/4-in pieces
1/2TKahlua or Dark Rum, for brushing on warm brownies
Mascarpone Topping
2large egg yolks
1/4cgranulated sugar
1pinchsalt
2TKahlua or Dark Rum
1/2c+ 3T heavy whipping cream
8ozmascarpone cheese
1-2Tcocoa 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)