Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies

Vietnamese Coffee Swirl Brownies

These ultra-fudgy brownies take the bittersweet elements of Vietnamese coffee — espresso and sweetened condensed milk — and turn them into dessert. For the most pronounced coffee flavor, there’s instant espresso in the brownie batter plus some ground espresso (or coffee beans) speckling the milky cream cheese swirl. To get the neatest, most crumb-free slices, chill the cooled brownies for an hour or so before slicing them upside down. Use a sharp knife and wipe it down between slices. These brownies last for up to a week when kept refrigerated in an airtight container, and they freeze well, too.

Yield: 16 brownies

1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter, plus more for pan  

8 ounces/225 grams unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt 

2 cups/400 grams sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process 

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup/125 grams all-purpose flour

½ cup/85 grams bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)

For the Topping

⅔ cup/170 grams cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

1½ teaspoons ground espresso or dark roast coffee beans

Flaky sea salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on two sides to use as handles later.

In a large heavy saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the butter, chopped chocolate, instant espresso powder and salt. Let butter and chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. (Alternatively, using the microwave, melt the ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl, in 30-second increments, until smooth, stirring between increments.)

Whisk in sugar and cocoa powder until smooth, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Finally, whisk in flour until no streaks remain. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, if using.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

To prepare the topping, using a whisk, beat together cream cheese and condensed milk in a small bowl until very smooth. Use a spatula to mix in ground espresso beans until just combined. (Don’t overmix: You want to see speckles.) Dollop on top of brownie batter in the pan and swirl with a knife or spatula, pulling up some of the brownie batter from beneath the topping for a marble effect. (For best results, both topping and brownie batter should be about the same temperature.) Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.

Bake until the top is set, the center is soft and the edges start pulling away from the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. (Ceramic and glass pans will take about 5 minutes longer.) The top should look dry and firm when done, but a toothpick inserted into the center should come out slightly gooey.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. To get the neatest pieces, chill the brownies for 1 hour, then invert the whole slab of brownie onto a cutting board, peel off the parchment, and slice them, still upside down, into bars.