My Fudgy Cappuccino Brownies are getting rave reviews. This is a simple recipe that builds on several great flavors. The key is to combine Sweet Ricotta & Chocolate Spread by Villa Reale with softened cream cheese, and swirl it into a dark chocolate brownie batter. Add some espresso powder to the brownie batter and the result is an amazing treat. It is like drinking an espresso, eating a piece of dark chocolate fudge, and a bite of creamy, cheesy cannoli filling all at the same time. I love these brownies!
To keep it simple I used a box mix for the brownie batter. I highly recommend Duncan Hines Extra Thick & Fudgy. Follow the recipe on the box for the fudgy version which uses 1 egg. The cake-style brownies use 2 eggs.
A key secret to this great tasting brownie is to add a heaping tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the batter. It is worth keeping a 2 ounce jar of Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso in your pantry. It is used not only for a quick cup of strong coffee, but a great flavor booster for chocolate cakes, pudding and my Classic Tiramisu of course. King Arthur also sells an Espresso Powder especially made for baked goods.
To make the swirl, just dollop the Sweet Ricotta & Chocolate Spread/Cream Cheese Filling over the brownie batter and swirl with butter knife. I added a couple more dollops of reserved brownie batter on top and sprinkled with mini-chocolate chips keeping with the cannoli flavor.
One last tip - spray a 9" X 9"baking pan with baking spray and then line it with parchment paper with enough overhang for handles. This will make lifting the baked brownies out of the pan easier for nice clean cuts.
Fudgy Cappuccino Brownies
Ingredients
Sweet Cappuccino Filling
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons Sweet Ricotta & Chocolate Spread by Villa Reale
- 1 egg
Brownies
- 1 18.2 ounce box dark chocolate brownie mix
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon powdered espresso
- ¼ cup mini-chocolate chips
Instructions
- Grease a 9”x9” square baking pan. Line with parchment with overlap handles. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- With a hand mixer, mix cream cheese and egg for 3 minutes until smooth. Mix in by hand the Sweet Ricotta & Chocolate Spread.
- Make brownie mix according to the package. Add the espresso powder with the water.
- Pour ⅔’s of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Dollap big spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top. Dollop the rest of the brownie batter on top of that. With a butter knife swirl the two mixes until you get a pleasing pattern. Do not over mix. Sprinkle mini-chips on top.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on how fudgy you like them. They should be a little wet in the middle when removed from oven. Let cool one hour.
- Remove the brownies from the pan with the parchment handles. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. It is easiest to dip the knife in hot water occasionally to get clean cuts.
- Serve chilled or room temperature.
This post is sponsored by Villa Reale U.S.A. Sweet Ricotta & Chocolate Spread by Villa Reale can be purchased at most Jewel-Osco, Safeway, HyVee and Schnucks retail locations. I only work with brands that I truly love and recommend. Thank you for supporting the brands that support HomemadeItalianCooking.com
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