Coffee Cream Brownies

Coffee Cream Brownies - made October 3, 2012, recipe adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Before I talk about this recipe, a word about the recipes I post in general, especially for those of you new to my blog or have become a recent follower and don't realize how I link.  When I use a recipe from one of my cookbooks, I always reference which one and add a link to it back to amazon.com so you can check out the cookbook for yourself.  When I use a recipe I find online from another blog, I link directly back to that blog's recipe post (the link is the recipe title in the first line of my blog post), I list the date I made it and reference the blog I got that recipe from with a link back to the main page of that blog.  I give two different links for a reason: the recipe title to the original blog post I got the recipe from so you can see the original recipe and the main blog so you can see the latest postings from that blogger.  There are also times when I reference the other blogger or their recipe in the blog post I write.  It's just good blog etiquette to always give credit where credit is due and I would hope anyone who uses the recipes from my blog does the same thing.  

I often find recipes on pinterest but I always link back to the blog itself, not the pin.  Which is what I did with this recipe for Coffee Cream Brownies.  It's got a brownie base and a layer of coffee cream then is topped with chocolate ganache.  This may seem complicated because it's three layers but it's pretty simple to make.  You can make the brownies ahead of time then top it with the coffee cream layer and the ganache a few hours before you want to serve it.  I thought it turned out okay and I certainly like the flavor combination but next time I think I would go with a slightly fudgier brownie with more chocolate punch.  The coffee cream was prominent as was the ganache so the brownie got a bit lost.  I may also add chocolate chips or dollops of caramel or dulce de leche in the brownie to give it a bit more texture or sweetness.

For the Brownies:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the Coffee Cream Filling:
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (I used espresso powder)
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar

For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze:
1 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small, heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate together over hot, not simmering, water. Stir until combined and very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. Add chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Add flour and baking soda and stir until just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
4. Spread into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack.
5. For the filling, in a small bowl combine cream and coffee granules. Stir until the coffee is dissolved.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in coffee mixture. Spread over brownies.
7. For the chocolate ganache, in a small saucepan over low heat combine chocolate and heavy cream. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is thickened. Cool slightly. Carefully spread over filling. Let chocolate ganache set up completely before cutting.