Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

A few nights ago I had a taste for chocolate. Late night chocolate attacks are very common for me and I keep chocolate milk just for these times, but unfortunately I was out! So dug deep into my recipe file and decided to make Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies. So I went about measuring and sifting and beating with a whisk (next time I will use my KA Mixer). The end result was fabulous!

I've never been a brownie fan and I can't really say why. But to my knowledge I've never baked brownies for myself ever before. But the Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies have the most wonderful texture, still somewhat chewy but not mucky-chewie like a common brownie.

This is definitely a keeper recipe. And although I will always love Cream Cheese who ever said Mascarpone is similar to Cream Cheese was so wrong. In a taste test Mascarpone wins hands down!






Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies
Recipe adapted from Recipezaar

Brownies:
1 cup butter
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 large eggs, at room-temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Ganache:
8 oz semisweet chocolate,finely chopped
1/2 c. whipping cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter


Brownies:
1. Preheat oven to 325°F; have ready a buttered 8-inch square glass cake pan.
2. In a small saucepan or microwave, melt the butter and bring it to just below a boil; have the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl--pour the hot butter over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds.
3. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
4. Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder.
5. With a wooden spoon, beat in the mascarpone, eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
6. Gently fold the flour and salt into the batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
8. Place into preheated oven and bake for 45 or until a tester comes out clean. Do not over bake.
9. Place pan on a cooling rack and let brownies cool for 10-15 minutes, while you make the ganache.

Ganache:
1. Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl; in a small saucepan, bring the cream and the butter to just below the boiling point, over medium heat or in the microwave.
2. Pour this hot cream-butter mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth; ganache is now ready to use and can be spread over the brownies.
3. Evenly spread the warm Ganache over the brownies.
4. Don't cut into the brownies until ganache has firmed up.


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