Mascarpone Brioche Sandwiches with Chocolate Soup

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur (recommended: Kahlua or Sabra)
3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
Eight 1/3-inch slices brioche, or other egg or home-style white bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

Combine the cream and milk in a heavy, medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chocolate and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the liqueur. Cover to keep warm.

Combine the cream cheese and honey in a small bowl and mix until well blended. Fold in the mascarpone. Spread the mixture on 4 slices of the bread and top with the remaining bread. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons of the butter on each side of the sandwich.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches 1 at a time and cook until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.

To serve, ladle the soup into 4 shallow soup bowls and top each with 1 quartered sandwich. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings