Recipe - Chocolate Marscarpone Espresso Vodka Brownies

Adapted from ddougee @ Group Recipes

Brownie Mixture -
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
3oz Best-Quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped.  (Toll-House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips work just fine)
2 Shots Three Olives Triple Espresso Vodka (You can substitute 2 Shots of Espresso Coffee, if you don't want to use Vodka)
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder (Sifted)
1/2 Cup Mascarpone Cheese (Softened!!)
3 Large Eggs, at room temp.
2 tsp pure Vanilla (Vanilla extract will work too)
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Tsp Salt

Ganache Mixture -
6oz Best Quality Semi Sweet Chocolate, finally chopped (Again, Toll-House works here too)
6 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Shot Three Olives Triple Espresso Vodka (Or 1 Shot of Espresso Coffee)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter an 8" square pyrex pan.

Place chopped chocolate in mixing bowl, set aside.
In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave (take out before it starts bubbling).  Pour butter over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted.  Sift in sugar and cocoa powder.
With a wooden spoon, beat in mascarpone cheese, eggs, vanilla and Triple Espresso Vodka, mixing until smooth.  Gently fold in the flour and salt.  (Make sure that your marscarpone is very soft or it will leave lumps in your batter.  I put mine in the microwave for 10 seconds, stirred it and put it back in the microwave for another 10 seconds or so, until completely softened.)
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Place into preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
Place pan on cooling rack and let brownies cool 10-15 minutes while you make ganache.
For Ganache:
Place chopped chocolate in mixing bowl.  In small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and butter to just below a boiling point, over meadium heat.  Pour this hot mixture over the chocolate with the Triple Espresso Vodka and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth.  Pour ganache over brownies while they are still warm and spread to cover evenly.
Let ganache firm up before cutting.  It's best to refrigerate them until quite firm.  Once the ganache is firm and the brownies have been cut, the do not need to be kept in the refrigerator.  Cover brownies with saran wrap or in air tight container, if leaving out, otherwise, devour immediately and then run out and join the closest gym.  :-)  Happy Baking!!

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