Rich, fudgy brownies meet creamy tiramisu in this layered dessert that feels bakery-worthy but is completely doable at home. You get a deep chocolate base enhanced with espresso, a soft layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and a cloud of lightly sweetened mascarpone cream on top. After a good chill, everything sets into neat, sliceable squares with bold flavour and beautiful contrast.
These bars are perfect when you want something a little elevated for guests, but still easy to prep ahead. The brownie base bakes first, then the classic tiramisu elements are layered over the top, no complicated assembly, no fuss. Just chill, dust with cocoa, slice, and serve.
If you love the combination of chocolate and coffee, this is the kind of dessert that disappears quickly.
YIELD: 16 squares
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Bake Time: 25–28 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
For the Fudgy Brownie Base:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
For the Espresso-Soaked Layer:
- 12-15 ladyfinger cookies (savoiardi)
- ½ cup strong brewed espresso or coffee, cooled
For the Tiramisu Cream Topping:
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Finishing:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, brown the butter (cook over medium heat until golden and nutty in aroma). Remove from heat and immediately stir in the chocolate chips until smooth and melted.
- Whisk in both sugars, salt, eggs, and vanilla until glossy and fully combined.
- Sift in cocoa powder and flour. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix.
● Pour brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until the center is just set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan before layering.
- In a shallow dish, combine cooled espresso.
- Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture for 1–2 seconds per side — don’t soak too long or they’ll get mushy.
- Arrange the soaked ladyfingers in a single layer across the cooled brownie surface. You may need to trim some to fit.
- In a medium bowl, beat mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until light, fluffy, and smooth (about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer).
- Refrigerate the brownies for at least 2 hours, or until the topping is set and chilled.
- Just before serving, dust the top generously with unsweetened cocoa powder.
