Mascarpone Cheesecake Brownies Four Ways Food

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan or 2 (12-count) mini cheesecake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil.
• Add the cookies in a large resealable bag. Cover the bag with a kitchen towel and crush with a rolling pin until the cookies are coarsely ground. In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan or mini cheesecake pans. Put on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before adding the cheesecake filling.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• In bowl of a food processor combine the cheeses with the sugar until mix until completely blended. Add the eggs, 1 at time, incorporating completely after each addition. Add a pinch of salt, the almond extract, and orange zest and blend for 10 seconds. Pour the filling into the prepared pan with crust. Put the springform pan into a roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides the springform pan. If using a springform pan bake for 1 hour, if using mini cheesecake pans bake until completely set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the springform pan from the water bath to the counter and let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. Slice and serve.

MASCARPONE-CHEESECAKE BROWNIES FOUR WAYS

Steps:

• (CLASSIC CHEESECAKE BROWNIES)---Preheat oven to 350'F Grease 9" square baking pan, then line with 14"X8" sheet of parchment paper, overlapping parchment on two sides to form "handles.".
• In a medium bowl, blend 1 cup of Mascarpone Cheese and 1 egg yolk; stir in 3 Tablespoons Sugar, 3 Tablespoons Flour until smooth, set aside.
• In a large, heavy nonstick saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter, 2 oz chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, stirring constantly over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 large eggs until well blended. Stir in 2/3 cup flour until well blended.
• Spread about 1/2 brownie batter into pan. Alternately spoon on Mascarpone and remaining brownie batter. Shake pan back and forth gently on countertop to level the batters. With the tip of a knife, swirl to marble mixtures.
• Bake 30-35 minutes or until brownies just begin to pull from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on rack. Chill before cutting for best results.
• (FOR CHOCOLATE SIN MASCARPONE BROWNIES).-----Add 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips to brownie batter at end of STEP 3; bake and cool as directed. Meanwhile, blend 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar and 1/2 cup Creme Fraiche in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth. Pour glaze over brownies and chill until set.
• (FOR DOUBLE TOFFEE MASCARPONE BROWNIES)------Add 2 Teaspoons espresso powder to brownie batter with sugar in STEP 3 mix as directed, then stir in 1/2 cup chopped hard toffee candy such as Heath or Werther's. Bake and cool as directed. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat 1/2 cup Creme Fraiche with 3 Tablespoons confectioner's sugar until soft peaks form; stir in another 1/4 cup reserved toffee. Serve immediately over brownies.
• (FOR BOURBON PECAN MASCARPONE BROWNIES).-----Add 2 Tablespoons bourbon and 1/2 cup chopped pecans to brownie batter after STEP 3; bake and cool as directed. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, combine another 2 Tablespoons bourbon, 1/2 cup Creme Fraiche and 1/2 cup light brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Chill sauce before drizzling over brownies.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Stir together cookie crumbs and butter in a bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for sprinkling over cheesecake, then pat remainder onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of springform pan (about 1 inch thick). Put pan in a shallow baking pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust bakes:
• Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and mix at low speed until combined. Pour into cooled crust and bake until cake is set and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly in springform pan on rack, about 20 minutes. (Cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.) Leave oven on.
• Make topping:
• Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge.
• Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge to help prevent cracking. Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs and cool completely in pan on rack, then chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours.

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F; have ready a buttered 8-inch square glass cake pan.
• First, prepare the brownies.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter and bring it to just below a boil; have the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl--pour the hot butter over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds.
• Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder (I do this through a sieve, not with a sifter).
• With a wooden spoon, beat in the mascarpone, eggs (30 minutes on the counter brings them to room temperature) and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
• Gently fold the flour and salt into the batter.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly--this is important since, if the batter isn't spread evenly, it won't bake evenly.
• Place into preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean (45 minutes did it for me).
• Place pan on a cooling rack and let brownies cool for 10-15 minutes, while you now make the ganache.
• Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl; in a small saucepan, bring the cream and the butter to just below the boiling point, over medium heat.
• Pour this hot cream-butter mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth; ganache is now ready to use and can be spread over the brownies.
• Should you wish to wait a bit, make sure the ganache is warm when you spread over the brownies, as it does firm up which makes spreading hard to do.
• Don't cut into the brownies until ganache has firmed up; I find it best to put the brownies into the fridge to speed this along; once the ganache is firm the brownies do not need to be kept in the fridge, though.