Tiramisu Brownies

Rich and fudgy brownies topped with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 9 squares

Ingredients

Brownies

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

Mascarpone Cream

• 250 g mascarpone cheese, cold
• 200 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

Instructions

Brownies
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9″ square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove from heat.
Pour browned butter over the chocolate-cocoa mixture. Let sit for 3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined (about 3 minutes). Slowly stream in the butter-chocolate mixture while whisking.
Fold in flour gently until just combined.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 28–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Mascarpone Cream
In a bowl, beat mascarpone until smooth.
Add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until thick and creamy, 5–10 minutes. The mixture should barely move when the bowl is tilted.

Ladyfinger Soak
Mix espresso powder, hot water, and liqueur (if using) in a shallow bowl.
Briefly dip each ladyfinger (1 second per side), then arrange in a single layer over the cooled brownie base.

Assemble
Spread mascarpone cream over ladyfingers evenly.
Chill the brownies for 1 hour in the fridge.
Just before serving, dust with cocoa powder.
Lift from the pan using parchment, slice with a clean knife, and serve.

Notes

Make Ahead: You can prepare the brownies and mascarpone topping a day in advance. Just wait to dust with cocoa powder until right before serving.
Espresso Substitute: If you don’t have espresso powder, use strong brewed coffee (about ½ cup) in place of the soak.
Liqueur-Free Option: Omit the coffee liqueur for a kid-friendly or alcohol-free version.
Ladyfinger Tip: Don’t oversoak the ladyfingers or they will turn soggy—just a quick dip is enough.
Chill Time: For neater slices, chill the assembled brownies for at least 1–2 hours or even overnight.
Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezing: You can freeze individual brownie squares. Wrap each tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

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