Serves: Makes 25 - Time:
The biscuit base adds a little texture to these moist, dense little squares. As with most brownies these are best left for 24 hours to firm up but it takes a massive amount of will power not to sneak a little square or two. You could always put them in the fridge for a few hours to speed up the resting time.
Ingredients
- For the base
- 250g digestive biscuits crushed
- 90g salted butter, melted
- For the brownie mixture
- 200g unsalted butter
- 280g plain chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, broken up
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- 150g light muscovado sugar
- 150g dark muscovado sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 100g self-raising flour
- 175g mascarpone
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method
- Heat the oven to 180˚, fan oven 160˚c, mark 4. For the base, line a 9 inch (22 cm) square tin with non-stick baking parchment. Mix the crushed digestives with the melted butter and spoon into the prepared tin. Spread the mixture to the edges and press down to make an even layer. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- For the brownie mixture, place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Mix the espresso powder with 2 tablespoon boiling water and pour into the butter and chocolate. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2-3 cm of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate and butter have melted. Lift the bowl off the saucepan and leave to cool at room temperature. Alternatively place the butter, chocolate and espresso in a microwaveable bowl and microwave in short bursts until melted.
- Place the sugars and 3 of the eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk for about 6-7 minutes until pale and thick. Ideally, do this in a Kitchen Aid type of food mixer or with an electric beater. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate mixture followed by the flour. Pour the batter over the biscuit base.
- Beat together the mascarpone, remaining egg, caster sugar and vanilla extract. Place spoonfuls over the brownie batter and swirl it in. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the centre feels slightly firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and firm up, preferably overnight. Cut into small squares.