Raspberry Truffle Brownies

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." (Charles M. Schultz). With Valentine's Day just around the corner, tulips seem to make a welcome return in abundance and appearance at the florists or in the floral section of the grocery stores. Other than deep blue hydrangeas and pink peonies, tulips are one of my three most favorite flowers. There is something almost magical about having a vase or pitcher filled with a beautiful monochromatic bouquet of flowers filling a room, particularly during the winter months. And when the groundhog forecasts six more weeks of winter, who doesn't want to get a daily dose of spring? Fresh flowers have a way of reminding us to persevere as 'this season too shall pass'? And what would Valentine's day be without some chocolate? Not that we actually need a holiday to encourage us to indulge in it, any holiday telling us we need more chocolate in our lives is one we all need to celebrate.

Given the choice between a homemade cookie and brownie, I tend to lean toward the brownie. But if given the choice between a box of chocolates from any of my favorite chocolatiers and these Raspberry Truffle Brownies, without hesitation, I would choose these brownies. And if there was ever a brownie screaming to be paired with some champagne or prosecco, this would be the one. Save the milk for a plate a cookies.

Similar to a flourless chocolate cake, these Raspberry Truffle Brownies are an incredibly dense, fudgy, rich, not for the faint of chocolate heart confection.

These brownies are made with two kinds of chocolate: unsweetened chocolate and semi-sweet (68-72% cocoa content). The unsweetened chocolate gets melted into the batter while the semi-sweet is chopped and mixed into it. Made with only one cup of all-purpose flour ensures these Raspberry Truffle Brownies are dense, rich, and truffle-like.

Adding another layer of flavor are the raspberry preserves (or jam) and black raspberry liqueur (e.g., Chambord). They provide a detectable hint of flavor without detracting from the lushness of the chocolate.

Allowing the melted chocolate, butter, and sugar to cool slightly ensures the (room temperature) eggs will not cook when whisked in.

When we think of brownies we often think of squares, not wedges. However, simply serving them in wedges transforms the 'ordinary' brownie into an 'extraordinary' dessert. Whether you use an 8" inch square pan or 9 inch springform pan will all depend on how you want everyone to feel when you serve them.  Note: Square and round pans of the same size (e.g., 9 inches) are not the same. It may sound a bit confusing, but being aware of pan size conversions is important particularly when you want to maintain the same depth of a baked good.

In a 350 degree (F) oven, the Raspberry Truffle Brownies bake for approximately 45 minutes. Begin checking them at 35 minutes and continue checking every 3 minutes to ensure you do not overback them. You might think when a tester inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs means they aren't done. But they will be. Baking them for 5 to 10 minutes longer may result in brownies having a very crisp bottom.

Once cooled to room temperature, dust the brownies with confectionary sugar. You can serve them with a side of lightly sweetened whipped cream, some vanilla or raspberry ice cream, or fresh raspberries to dress them up, but you don't have to as they are insanely delicious all on their own.

When serving, begin with cutting small wedges. These are really rich.

Serve them at room temperature or chilled. Chilling them makes them taste even fudgier and even more irresistible.

There are already four brownie recipes posted to the blog: Decadent Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Brittle Brownies,  Marbled Cheesecake Brownies, and Coffee Blondies. With this recipe for Raspberry Truffle Brownies, you now have at least five brownie options to make for your brownie loving family and friends. Don't feel as if you have to wait until Valentine's Day to make any of them. A homemade gift of chocolate is a welcome gift 365 days a year.

Recipe
Raspberry Truffle Brownies (based on the recipe from The Castle Inn Riverside in Wichita, Kansas)
Easily serves 10-14 people

Ingredients
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 Tablespoons black raspberry liqueur (e.g., Chambord)
1/3 cup raspberry preserves or raspberry jam
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (170g) semi-sweet chocolate (68-72% cocoa content) chopped or chocolate chips
Confectionary sugar for dusting
Optional: Fresh raspberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9 inch springform or 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate over medium heat. 
3. Remove from heat and whisk in granulated sugar. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in eggs, raspberry preserves and raspberry liqueur.
5. Stir in flour and salt.
6. Transfer batter to the prepared pan.
7. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
8. Cool on wire rack. Run small knife around edges of pan. Remove brownies from pan, transfer to serving platter and dust with confectionary sugar. Cut into wedges. Note: If using a square pan, but brownies into squares.

Notes: (1) Begin checking for doneness at 35 minutes and continue checking every 3 minutes to ensure you do not over bake them. (2) If you want to enhance the subtleness of the raspberry flavor, increase the amount of preserves/jam from 1/4 cup to a generous 1/3 cup.