Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
Tiramisu brownie sitting on a table showing gooey chocolate brownie with smooth mascarpone cream topping and a dusting of cocoa powder on top.
QR Code

Tiramisu Brownies Recipe

Fudgy chocolate and espresso brownies with mascarpone cream topping.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 16 brownies

Ingredients

For the Espresso Brownies

  • 1 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter 170g
  • 9 oz Dark Chocolate 255g (chopped)
  • 3 Large Eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 ¼ cups Granulated Sugar 250g
  • 1 ¼ cup All purpose Flour 150g
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 tablespoon Espresso Powder

For the Mascarpone Cream

  • 8 oz Mascarpone 225g (cold)
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream 240ml (cold)
  • 6 tablespoon Powdered Sugar 45g
  • ¼ cup Amaretto 60ml (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Cocoa Powder for dusting
Cups - Grams

Instructions

Make the Brownies

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted) and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
  • Put the butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until totally melted. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar and eggs and whisk until thick and custard-like. This should take about 30 seconds of vigorous whisking by hand. You can use an electric mixer if you prefer, but it's not necessary.
  • Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture, add the vanilla and gently whisk everything together until fully incorporated.
  • Dissolve the espresso powder in a splash of hot water and mix until smooth. Then pour into the brownie batter and stir it in.
  • Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and use a spoon or spatula to fold everything together until there are no more visible lumps of flour.
  • Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
    When they are done, the top of the brownies will be dry and shiny, and when you test the middle of the brownies with a skewer, it will come out slightly chocolatey.  If it is caked in a thick layer of raw batter, the brownies need longer.  Baking time can vary depending on your oven, so look out for the physical signs that they are ready.  
  • Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then transfer to the fridge until ready to assemble.

Make the Mascarpone Cream

  • Add the mascarpone, powdered sugar, amaretto, and vanilla to a bowl and mix together until it is smoothly combined with no lumps.
    If you don't want to add the amaretto, you can substitute it for ½ teaspoon almond extract, or just leave it out entirely.
  • In a separate bowl, whip up the cream on medium speed just until stiff peaks form. Don't overwhip it.
  • Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until everything is combined.

Assemble the Tiramisu Brownies

  • Remove the brownies from the baking pan and peel back the parchment paper from the sides.
  • There are two ways to decorate these brownies:
    For a piped finish like in my pictures, transfer the mascarpone cream to a piping bag with a round piping tip fitted and squeeze small blobs all over the top.
    For a straight finish, you can just spread the mascarpone cream all over the top of the brownies in an even layer. Use a spatula to either smooth it out flat or create some texture on the top of the cream.
  • Put a little cocoa powder into a small sieve and dust the top of the tiramisu brownies generously with cocoa powder.
  • Slice the brownies into 16 equal pieces and enjoy.

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

Espresso Powder - This is also known as instant espresso; it is different from instant coffee granules. If you can't find espresso powder, you can use instant coffee instead, but you will need about double the amount to have the same strength of coffee flavor. 
Amaretto - The amaretto is completely optional.  You can substitute it for whatever your preferred alcohol is for tiramisu, such as rum or marsala. If you want a non alcoholic version, you can substitute it for ½ teaspoon almond extract, or you can just leave it out entirely. 
Mascarpone - Some brands of mascarpone contain more liquid than others. Try to find a high-quality mascarpone. If it seems watery at all, make sure you drain off any excess liquid before using it, or your mascarpone cream will be too runny. 
Note - For best results, I strongly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. This will give much more accurate and consistent results.