White Chocolate Mascarpone Pistachio Brownies with Cardamom-White Chocolate Sauce

Okay, I am clearly having a brownie thing lately. It happens, you know? Anyways, I got the idea in my head a few days ago for a white chocolate brownie, and since then, I could not stop thinking about it! The thought intrigued me; I've never had, let alone seen a white chocolate brownie before, but I imagined that they would be elegant and unique.

I remembered how gorgeous my Mascarpone Brownies with a Honey-Chocolate Sauce turned out and I thought it would be interesting to adapt the recipe for a white chocolate brownie. Naturally, I had to change up the flavor profile, so I added in some pistachios. I also replaced honey in the sauce with cardamom which pairs magically with the pistachios. 

These white chocolate wonders turned out far better than I could have hoped for. Though, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable calling them brownies. They seem to be in a category all their own. They are soft, yet fudgy, and so unusual that they are sure to wow your friends and family. Plus, they are far easier to make then they appear (and sound, boy is that title a mouthful)!

White Chocolate Mascarpone Pistachio Brownies

recipe generously adapted from here

ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup + 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped (or you can use chips; I used disks from Whole Foods)
• 8 ounces mascarpone (my container had actually 8.8 ounces so I just threw it all in)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped, roasted pistachios (plus more for garnish)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Melt the white chocolate and 1/2 cup of butter together in microwave, checking and stirring every 30 seconds.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone, 6 tbsp butter, and sugar until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add in the vanilla and mix to combine. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
6. Stir in the pistachios by hand.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the brownies are set and top is golden-brown.
8. Remove from oven and allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, pop them in the fridge so they get nice and chilled. Trust me, they are FAR better cold and much easier to cut. Serve with warm Cardamom-White Chocolate Sauce and a garnish of chopped pistachios (the cold brownies with the warm sauce is totally where it's at.)

Cardamom-White Chocolate Sauce

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 cardamom pods, crushed
• 5 ounces white chocolate

1. Place the cardamom pods with seeds in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir until pods brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and bring the mixture to a light boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Turn the heat off and cover. Let steep at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then strain out the cardamom pods and seeds.
3. Return the now cardamom infused cream to the stove and bring to a light boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate until fully melted and combined.
4. Server warm over the brownies!