Mascarpone and Cocoa Swirl Bars

I love fresh butter, and lately I've been using butter from Vermont Creamery on my toast, in my cooking, and in my baking. It has such a good rich flavor. Vermont Creamery produces a European-style Cultured Butter. The cream, from their co-op of 500 family farms in Northeast Vermont, is churned in small batches becoming a rich European-style butter with 86% butterfat content and a unique farm-fresh taste.

Because I like their butter so much, I checked out their website. This recipe for Mascarpone and Cocoa Swirl Bars is wonderful and so easy. You'll love these bars.

MASCARPONE AND COCOA SWIRL BARS

Ingredients
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 cup Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter, melted 1
 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
 8 ounces Vermont Creamery Mascarpone cheese, softened
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter an 8x8 pan, line with parchment, and butter parchment. In  small bowl whisk together cocoa powder, hot water, and oil until smooth paste forms and set aside.
Whisk together melted butter and brown sugar in bowl. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Add mascarpone cheese and stir until combined. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth. Pour about 3/4 the batter into prepared pan.
Add cocoa mixture to the batter remaining in the bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Dollop cocoa batter evenly over top of mascarpone batter and gently swirl together with toothpick.
Bake for 25–30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, slice, and serve. Store any remaining bars in the refrigerator.