1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour. (Or line the pan with parchment, letting the parchment come up the sides and hang over- then spray the parchment.- this is recommended as it's easier to get the brownies out of the pan cleanly.)

2

In a heavy 1½-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and butter with espresso mixture over low heat, stirring, until smooth and remove pan from heat. Cool mixture to lukewarm and whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, whisking well until mixture is glossy and smooth. Stir in flour and salt until just combined and stir in walnuts (if using).

3

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake in middle of oven 22 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it. Cool brownie layer completely in pan on a rack.

4

Make cream cheese layer: In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until combined well. Spread frosting evenly over brownie layer. Chill brownies 1 hour, or until frosting is firm.

5

Make glaze: In a large pyrex measuring cup or glass bowl, place chocolate, butter, cream and espresso mixture. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth. If glaze is steaming hot, let cool a little bit. Pour glaze carefully over cream cheese layer.

6

Chill brownies, covered, until cold (at least 3 hours).

7

If you used parchment, simply lift the brownies out of the pan by holding the sides of the parchment. Place on a cutting board and gently peel off the parchment. With a long, thin knife, cut chilled brownies into 24 squares. Serve brownies cold or at room temperature. These brownies will keep, covered and chilled, in one layer, for 5 days.