Shared Sugar » mascarpone http://sharedsugar.com Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:55:55 +0000 en hourly 1 Mascarpone Swirled Brownies http://sharedsugar.com/mascarpone-swirled-brownies/ http://sharedsugar.com/mascarpone-swirled-brownies/#comments Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:26:59 +0000 Mara http://sharedsugar.com/?p=1181 MascarponeBrownies1
The first year we were married, Food & Wine magazine mysteriously showed up at our house without us signing up or paying for a subscription. Maybe it was an anonymous wedding gift or a newlywed promotion, I’m not sure. It’s funny to think we got a food centric magazine back then, because at the time I hardly knew anything about cooking beyond how to throw a Bertolli dinner in a skillet. I remember looking through the recipes in the Food & Wine, thinking they looked about as easy a calculus problem.

MascarponeBrownies4
After our mysterious subscription expired, I was decluttering and decided to pitch the magazines as I had little use for them. However, considering I have a serious sweet tooth, I just couldn’t part with some of the dessert recipes. And, I’m really glad I had such great sense at the time.

MascarponeBrownies3
The other night I was looking through our recipe binder and came across one of the saved Food & Wine recipes. It’s funny because upon a second look, this recipe is really not difficult at all. These mascarpone brownies are like a classed up version of the traditional cream cheese brownies. They’re simple, but a little more unique.

MascarponeBrownies2

    Mascarpone Swirled Brownies

    from Food & Wine Magazine
    makes 9 brownies

  • Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-1/4 cups pure cane sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese


  • Directions

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a saucepan over low heat, melt semisweet and unsweetened chocolate with butter. Once melted, remove from heat, and whisk in 1 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of vanilla. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture until batter is smooth.

    In a separate bowl, whisk the mascarpone cheese with the egg yolk and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking pan. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top. Then add the other half of the brownie batter. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture on top. With a knife, swirl the batter together a few times to acheive a marbled effect.

    Bake brownies for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

]]> http://sharedsugar.com/mascarpone-swirled-brownies/feed/ 14 Tiramisu http://sharedsugar.com/tiramisu/ http://sharedsugar.com/tiramisu/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:31:46 +0000 Kesha http://sharedsugar.com/?p=789 Tiramisu1
I haven’t had a lot of Tiramisu in my day, but I sure do enjoy it when the opportunity presents itself. In my mind, this dessert has always had a bit of attitude and I thought it was difficult to make, maybe that is because it is so delicious. Anyway, it’s not hard, in fact it is the perfect dessert for an impromptu dinner.

Tiramisu3
I made this Tiramisu for an Italian themed Christmas party. My friend Kristen, who hosted the party, comes from an Italian family and they are fantastic cooks. Therefore it was important that my dessert could stand up to the other homemade Italian dishes. Tiramisu was the obvious Italian dessert and it got the job done. This recipe calls for the traditional ingredients such as mascarpone, ladyfingers, espresso and rum, then I topped it with pieces of chopped chocolate instead of cocoa powder. I used my new shaker that the Officer gave me for Christmas to delicately sprinkle the tiramisu with chocolate. It was rich and smooth but light enough to end a filling Italian dinner. Paired with a cup of coffee, it was a delicious way to finish the meal. I received compliments throughout the rest of the evening. Kristen’s (Italian) mom was impressed too!

Tiramisu2

    Tiramisu

  • Ingredients

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1-1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup brewed espresso, cooled
  • 2 teaspoons dark rum
  • 60 packaged ladyfingers
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces

  • Directions

    • In a large bowl, using a mixer, combine the egg yolks and sugar until the yolks lighten, about 5 minutes. Then add the mascarpone cheese and beat until smooth, maybe a minute or two. Add 1 tablespoon of the espresso and mix until the espresso is blended well.

    In a small bowl, combine the rest of the espresso and rum. The next step will require a 9 x 13 inch pan. Begin to dip the ladyfingers in the espresso and rum mixture, dipping each side for 1-2 seconds. The ladyfingers won’t seem tender immediately but will soak up the liquid within a few minutes. Place the ladyfingers in the 9 x 13 inch pan vertical with the pan, covering the bottom. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers. Then place another layer of ladyfingers over the cheese. Spread the remaining cheese mixture topping the ladyfingers.

    Cover the tiramisu with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

    Chop or shave 1/2 cup of dark chocolate. I chopped mine in my Magic Bullet. Before serving, generously shake or sprinkle the chocolate on the top of the tiramisu. Serve chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

]]> http://sharedsugar.com/tiramisu/feed/ 6