Thread by @lifesafeast

My friend @Mr_Clark67 is craving brownies & is also looking for a way to use cream cheese so I'm sharing my recipe for

Espresso Brownies with Spiked Ricotta Swirl

The ricotta can be replaced with cream cheese! And make them with or without the booze.

Ready?

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INGREDIENTS Amaretto Cinnamon Ricotta Filling:

1 cup (250 grams) ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or dark rum
1 teaspoon Amaretto, brandy, or almond extract
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter softened to room temperature

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1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar
1 large egg
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Place the ricotta in a wire strainer over a bowl & allow to drain for one hour. Skipping this step may add that extra liquid to the mix & create a soggy brownie.

Remove the ricotta from the strainer & place in

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a medium bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients - I sift the cornstarch over the other ingredients to get rid of any lumps. Beat with an electric mixer or wooden spoon only until smooth. Don’t worry if there remain “crumbs” of ricotta.

Set aside.

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INGREDIENTS Espresso Brownies:

6 tablespoons (90 grams) unsalted butter
5 ounces (150 grams) good quality semisweet or dark bittersweet chocolate
¾ cup (95 grams) flour, spooned lightly in a measuring cup and leveled
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

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2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup (135 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 teaspoons Amaretto or brandy
2 teaspoons dry instant espresso powder

Once the ricotta has drained for 1 hour & the Ricotta Filling has been prepared,

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preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Butter an 8-inch (21-cm) square brownie pan.

Cut the butter into about 4 large chunks & coarsely chop the chocolate. Place both in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Place the pan over very low

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heat &, stirring, melt the two together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from the heat & continue to stir the mixture until completely melted, only returning the pan briefly to the heat if the remaining chocolate doesn’t melt. The mixture should

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be completely smooth and creamy. Allow to cool.

Combine the flour, baking soda & salt in a small bowl and whisk or stir to combine.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until light & thickened.

Add the vanilla & sugar and beat for 2 minutes, then beat

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in the almond extract or Amaretto & espresso powder.

Beat in the melted chocolate-butter mixture gradually & then finally beat in the dry ingredients.

Pour 2/3 of the Espresso Brownie batter into the prepared pan & spread evenly.

Pour the Ricotta Filling mixture

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evenly over the Espresso Brownie batter in the pan.

Pour the remaining Espresso Brownie mixture over the Ricotta Filling mixture & very gently and carefully try & spread it out just so it isn’t clumped up. The brownie mixture is much thicker & firmer than the ricotta

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mixture so be gentle so as not to mix the two together.

Now marble the brownies by cutting through the batter with a sharp knife quickly from side to side adding a large zig-zag in the other direction.

Bake the brownies for about 35 minutes or until puffed (the top

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may be a little cracked in places) and just set. A tester inserted halfway between the center and the edge will come out clean.

Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours then cover with aluminum foil & allow to set ideally overnight or at least for several hours

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to allow the flavors to mellow.

#IsolationBaking