tiramisu brownies

tiramisu meets brownie in this delicious, dreamy dessert. these tiramisu brownies featuring A fudgy, brown butter brownie base topped with coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a thick cloud of mascarpone cream.

why you will love these fudgy tiramisu brownies

• easy recipe – these tiramisu brownies are really simple to make but look like you’ve put a lot of effort in! really, it’s just a basic fudge brownie base with a layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and then a simple mascarpone whipped cream on top.

• the layers and balance of flavours!! mixing tiramisu with brownies works so well because of the way each layer complements the others. the soft, fudgy brownie, the bittersweet ladyfinger layer, the light and airy cream topping. it should feel over the top, decadent and indulgent, but these tiramisu brownies almost melt in your mouth.

• perfect for special occasions – these tiramisu brownies are the perfect treat for special occasions. easy to make, can be made in advance, look fancy and the extra layers really elevate a simple fudge brownie!

learn how to make these tiramisu chocolate brownies

this tiramisu brownie dessert can be made in just a few easy steps! for the brownie base, we’re going to start off by browning butter and mixing it with dark chocolate until smooth and combined, then we’ll set this aside. in another bowl, we’‘ll whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract. then, we’ll add the melted chocolate and butter mixture, as well as some flour, cocoa powder and salt and mix this in until a thick tiramisu brownie mix forms. bake the brownies until they’re fudgy on the inside with a crackly top.

remove the brownies from the oven once they’re done, and let them cool completely at room temperature. once brownies have cooled, we’ll soak ladyfingers in coffee and layer these on top of the brownies.

finally, make the mascarpone cream for the tiramisu brownies. whip together mascarpone, heavy cream, icing sugar/powdered sugar and vanilla extract until you get a thick and smooth mascarpone cream. add the cream on top of the brownies and spread it out into a thick layer. let the tiramisu brownies chill in the fridge so that they can set, then remove from the fridge and dust with cocoa powder. then slice them up, and we’re done!

tiramisu brownies ingredients

• butter – i use unsalted butter for this tiramisu brownies recipe. you are also welcome to use salted butter but i would recommend skipping the extra salt in this recipe if you do. we’re going to be browning the butter for an extra nutty, caramel-like depth of flavour that will perfectly complement the fudginess of these brownies.

• dark chocolate – i typically like to use dark chocolate for baking brownies as this helps balance out the general sweetness of the dessert overall. i personally wouldn’t recommend using milk chocolate in these brownies as it will make everything too sweet.

• eggs – this tiramisu brownie recipe uses 2 large eggs.

• brown sugar – i like to use a small amount of light brown soft sugar for this tiramisu brownies recipe as the brown sugar helps make these brownies extra chewy and fudgy. you can also use dark brown sugar if you like, just bear in mind that it might have a stronger molasses flavour.

• granulated sugar – this recipe uses a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar. we’ll be whisking together the eggs and sugars until the sugar dissolves so that we can get that beautiful crackly top! (although it doesn’t matter too much, as we’ll be covering it with the ladyfingers and the mascarpone cream anyway).

• vanilla extract – optional, but will add a nice, subtle vanilla flavour to the fudge brownie layer and to the mascarpone cream layer.

• double cream or heavy cream – i use a small amount of heavy cream in the brownie base to make it extra soft and fudgy. we’re also going to be whipping heavy cream with mascarpone for the cream layer. make sure that the cream is cold before whipping.

• flour – we’ll be using plain flour or all purpose flour for this recipe.

• cocoa powder – we’ll also be using a small amount of natural, unsweetened cocoa powder for these tiramisu brownies, in the brownie layer and also to dust on top at the end.

• salt – just a small amount of salt mixed in the dry ingredients helps balance out the sweetness in these brownies.

• espresso or coffee – freshly brewed coffee to dip the ladyfingers in. i usually like to let the coffee cool slightly before dipping them in.

• ladyfingers or savoiardi biscuits – i make these tiramisu brownies with ladyfingers by dipping them in coffee and layering them on top of the brownie base and then topping them with the mascarpone cream.

• mascarpone – i make these tiramisu brownies with mascarpone frosting on top. mascarpone is a soft and smooth italian cheese used to make the rich and creamy topping for these brownies.

• icing sugar or powdered sugar – we’re going to be using this to be whipping this with the cream and mascarpone to sweeten the topping.

tools:

• a pot for browning the butter – we’ll be browning the butter on the stove over medium heat.

• 3 small bowls/dishes – we’ll need a small mixing bowl for the butter and dark chocolate mixture. you’ll also need a bowl for the dry ingredients, and some kind of wide dish for the coffee.

• 2 large bowls – we’ll be adding everything to one bowl later on in the recipe so you’ll need a large bowl to fit all of the ingredients in so that it’s easier to mix your brownie batter. you’ll also need a large bowl for the mascarpone cream.

• whisk or hand/stand mixer – we’re going to mix the sugar and eggs together using a whisk or electric mixer until the sugar dissolves. i decided to use a whisk for this recipe. it might take a little longer using a whisk, with a little bit more work and strength, but it will do the job just fine! in fact, using an electric mixer to whip your eggs and sugar actually incorporates more air into the batter, so using a whisk might make your brownies even more fudgy. you’ll also need a whisk or hand/stand mixer to whip the cream. this will be a lot easier and quicker to do with an electric mixer, but you can definitely just use a whisk if you don’t have a mixer.

• spoon or silicone spatula – for folding the dry ingredients in so that you don’t over mix the brownie batter.

• parchment paper or baking paper – lining your baking tray with parchment paper will make it easier to lift the brownies out once they’re done.

• 8×8 inch baking tray – i’m using an 8×8 inch tray for these tiramisu fudge brownies

• offset spatula – to spread the mascarpone cream on top smoothly and evenly

• small sifter or fine sieve – this will help you get a nice, thin dusting of cocoa powder on top of your tiramisu brownie squares

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: preheat your oven and and grease and line a baking tray for your tiramisu brownies.

step two: break apart some dark chocolate into pieces and add it to a small bowl.

step three: add butter to a pot or pan and heat it up over medium heat. keep stirring until golden brown and toasted. you’ll know your done when the butter starts to smell toasty and almost caramel-like. (detailed instructions on browning butter in faqs section).

step four: once you’ve browned the butter, add it to the same small bowl that you added the chocolate it, making sure to scrape out all the toasted milk solids from the bottom of the pan and into the bowl. mix the brown butter and dark chocolate together while the butter is still hot.

step five: mix the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate has melted completely and the brown butter and chocolate are combined. then, set this aside.

step six: in another bowl, crack open 2 large eggs. then, add light brown sugar and granulated sugar.

step seven: using a whisk or hand mixer, mix together the eggs and sugars until they are combined, and the sugar dissolves. this will usually take a good few minutes. you’ll know the sugar has dissolved once you feel a little bit of the mixture between your fingers and you can no longer feel the sugar granules. if you find that you can still feel them, go ahead and mix for a little bit longer. the mixture will look slightly frothy.

step eight: add vanilla to the egg and sugar mixture, as well as the heavy cream, and mix these in until combined.

step nine: add the chocolate and butter mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. whisk it until combined and the brownie batter looks smooth and chocolatey.

step ten: in another bowl, add flour, cocoa powder and salt. mix these together. then, add this to the brownie batter.

step eleven: using a spoon or spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients in. do not mix too much at this stage as you don’t want to over mix. mix the dry ingredients in until just combined, and the flour is no longer visible.

step twelve: add the tiramisu brownie batter to your lined baking tray, then place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes (baking times will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray). take them out when they’re slightly soft and underdone, as they’ll continue to cook as they cool.

step thirteen: once you remove the brownies from the oven, let them cool at room temperature completely.

step fourteen: once the brownies are cool, in a small, wide and shallow dish, add freshly brewed coffee, and set this aside to cool slightly.

step fifteen: quickly dip ladyfingers 1-2 times into the slightly cooled coffee mixture, then line them up on top of the brownies in an even layer. cut some up if you need to, to fill any gaps.

step sixteen: make the mascarpone cream. to a large bowl, add mascarpone and heavy cream. use a whisk or hand/stand mixer to beat the mascarpone and cream together until just combined and soft. it will look relatively runny at this point.

step seventeen: add the icing sugar/powdered sugar and the vanilla extract, and use a mixer or whisk to beat the cream and sugar together until the cream looks thick and firm. it shouldn’t be too stiff, but should be able to hold its shape, with a tip that curls over once you lift the beaters out of the cream.

step eighteen:add the mascarpone cream on top of the layer of ladyfingers and spread it out into a thick and even layer. use something like an offset spatula to spread the cream evenly.

step ninteen: let the tiramisu brownies chill in the fridge for 1 to 1.5 hours so that the layers can set.

step twenty: once it’s set, remove from the fridge, and let the tiramisu brownies rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.

step twenty one: before serving, add a gentle dusting of cocoa powder on the top, then lift the tiramisu brownies out of the tray, slice up and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• keep an eye on the butter when browning it – butter can quickly go from nutty and toasted to burnt. keep stirring as it browns on the stove, and don’t leave it unattended. once the butter starts to smell caramel-like and toasty, and you can see it start to turn a golden colour, remove the pan from the heat.

• try to use high quality chocolate if you can. high quality dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate will give these tiramisu brownies the best, rich and chocolatey flavour. higher quality chocolate will also be easier to melt and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

• be careful not to over mix the brownie batter. once you add the dry ingredients, make sure to gently fold them in using a spoon or silicone spatula, and don’t mix for longer than necessary. mix until just combined. over mixing can lead to tough brownies.

• make sure to use room temperature eggs for the brownies, as they will combine with the rest of the ingredients easily and give you a smoother batter.

• make sure you preheat the oven for around 15-20 minutes so that it’s already hot by the time you place your brownies in the oven. this will ensure that the brownies bake evenly and that they won’t take longer to bake.

• adjust baking time as needed. every oven is different, so i recommend keeping an eye on your brownies as they bake. don’t just bang them in the oven and leave until the designated time is up. it might be a good idea to check the brownies for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached – the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry or have wet batter on it. i like to take the brownies out of the oven when they’re very slightly underdone as they will continue to cook as they cool once they’re out of the oven. over baking will result in dry and cakey brownies, which is not what we want. underbake the brownies slightly for more of a soft and fudgy texture.

• once your brownies are out of the oven, let them cool at room temperature completely before trying to add anything to them.

• use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. while i add both metric and cup measurements for this recipe, i always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients for most accurate results.

• for the coffee soak, strong espresso works best as instant coffee can be too weak. if using instant, coffee, just make it extra strong so that enough of the flavour comes through.

• use cold mascarpone and cold heavy cream as these will be easier to whip together. if your cream isn’t cold enough, it won’t whip properly. when whipping these together, make sure not to over whip, as this can make the cream grainy. you want the cream to be able to hold its shape but not be stiff. the tip of the cream should curl over when you lift the beaters out of the cream.

• dip the ladyfingers in the coffee very quickly – just 1-2 seconds per side. you want the ladyfingers to be soaked in the coffee but if they’re too soggy, they’ll just fall apart and dissolve into the brownies, so try not to let them linger in the coffee for too long.

• these tiramisu brownies don’t need to chill in the fridge for too long – just enough for the layers to set together properly. i ended up chilling these in the fridge for about 1.5 hours.

• make sure to store any leftover tiramisu brownies in the fridge in an airtight container.

• let the tiramisu brownies sit out at room temperature for a good twenty minutes before serving. the brownie layer can get a bit stiff in the fridge, so leave the brownies out at room temperature before eating will allow the brownie layer to soften.

• these tiramisu brownies will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.

frequently asked questions

1. how do i brown the butter for the brownie base in these tiramisu brownies ?

   – to brown the butter, start by adding butter to a pan. melt this over medium heat, and stir constantly as the butter melts. the butter will melt and then begin to foam and sizzle. you’ll know the butter has browned when the foam starts to tone down a little and the butter looks golden brown underneath the foam. the butter will start to smell slightly nutty and toasty. once this happens, remove the pot from the heat and pour the brown butter over dark chocolate in a small mixing bowl.

2. can i use salted butter in this tiramisu brownies recipe ?

   – yes, you can use salted butter. if you use salted butter for your brownies instead of unsalted, i would recommend skipping the salt listed in this recipe.

3. do i have to use vanilla to make these tiramisu brownies ?

   – the vanilla in this brownie recipe is optional. i like the subtle vanilla flavour it gives to the brownies and mascarpone cream, but if you would prefer not to use it or don’t have it, that’s also completely fine.

4. why did my tiramisu brownies turn into a cake instead of fudgy ?

   – there are a number of reasons why your brownies came out cakey. one reason is baking times. you should take your brownies out of the oven while they are slightly underbaked as they will continue to cook and firm up as they cool. even if you followed the exact timings in the recipe, every oven will bake things differently so timings will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray. i highly recommend checking on your brownies every once in a while, especially towards the end of the written times to make sure they don’t over bake.

   – another reason could be due to over mixing the batter or having too much flour in your brownie batter. to make these tiramisu brownies as accurately as possible, i would recommend weighing out the flour using a kitchen scale. and remember to gently fold the dry ingredients into the brownie batter until no streaks of flour remain in order to avoid over mixing.

5. can i use a different type of chocolate, like milk chocolate, instead of dark chocolate for the brownie base in these tiramisu brownies?

   – while you can use different types of chocolate for this recipe, i would recommend using dark or semi sweet chocolate to give these brownies a richer flavour. using something like milk chocolate might make the brownies too sweet.

6. do i have to use brown sugar to make these tiramisu brownies ?

   – brown sugar is recommended in this easy tiramisu brownie recipe, as it helps gives the brownies a richer flavour and makes them extra chewy. however, if you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute it with granulated sugar. using all granulated sugar for this tiramisu brownie recipe might change the taste and texture of these brownies slightly, but they will still be delicious! for best results, use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar as stated.

7. how do i know that my brownies are done baking ?

   – Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies a few minutes before the end of the stated baking times. if the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, the brownies are done. Be careful not to over bake, as this can lead to dry, cakey brownies. the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry, and it shouldn’t have wet batter on it either. if your toothpick comes out with wet batter on it, it’ll need to bake for slightly longer. i usually like to bake these brownies for 20 minutes.

8. can i make these tiramisu brownies without coffee ?

   – the coffee flavour is essential for tiramisu, so i would really recommend the ladyfingers dipped in coffee layer. however, if you’d like a tiramisu and brownie dessert without the ladyfingers layer, you can definitely skip the coffee and ladyfingers and just make a fudgy brownie topped with the mascarpone cream.

9. can you make these tiramisu brownies in advance ?

   – yes, you can make this tiramisu brownies recipe in advance! you’ll actually need some time to make these brownies as you’ll need to wait for the brownies to cool, and then also for the tiramisu brownies to set in the fridge at the end. you can definitely make these a day in advance if you want to make them to bring somewhere. just be sure to leave them out at room temperature for a while before serving so that they can soften.

10. can i make tiramisu brownies without mascarpone ?

    – the mascarpone is kind of important for the cream topping in these tiramisu brownies. if you don’t have it on hand or it’s not easy to access, you could try make the cream topping with cream cheese instead. the flavour might be slightly tangier, less rich and more like cheesecake, but you could add a bit more sugar to balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.

11. can i make espresso brownies for the brownie layer in these tiramisu brownies ?

    – absolutely! just add a bit of instant espresso powder to the brownie batter when making the brownies for some extra flavour.

12. can i make tiramisu brownies with brownie mix ?

    – yes, you can definitely do this if you want to make these tiramisu brownies easy and quick. you can make these tiramisu brownies with box mix for the brownie layer, then just follow the rest of the recipe as stated.

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