Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie Bars

Another brownie recipe,  Yes, yes, I have a couple.  But these are brownies elevated to the next level.  Worthy of a dinner party dessert.

I love King Arthur:  their products, their baking classes, their recipes.  And when ever I get a catalog in the mail (yes I still do!) they always have a few really yummy recipes (that I cut out) that are just slightly different from their website recipe.  And this is one of them.

So you DO have to send away for one of their products (*Raspberry Jammy Bits) to make this perfect, and I know that is not one of my preferences.  But it is so worth it.  And while you are shopping there on King Arthur Flour, pick up one of their cinnamon’s, some cinnamon chips, any one of their excellent cocoa powders, to make your order worthwhile. 🙂

Cocoa powder quality is really important.  I highly recommend  Valrhona Cocoa Powder.  You can buy it on Amazon, directly from Valrhona or Whole Foods.

I used to be a die-hard Gold Medal All Purpose Flour girl but since that scare with E. coli they had over the summer, I switched and now will only use King Arthur Flour.

Chambord Liqueur:  somewhat expensive BUT you can buy a fairly small bottle, it lasts virtually forever and there are many recipes that ask for it, so it will not go to waste.

If you want to serve the brownies the same day, make very early in the morning so that the ganache has enough time to set.  Otherwise make the day before.

Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie Bars (from King Arthur Flour)

Brownies

4 large eggs

1 cup (8 ounces) butter, melted

2-1/4 cups (15-3/4 ounces) sugar

2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1-1/4 cups (3-3/4 ounces) good quality unsweetened cocoa Powder

1 tablespoon Espresso Powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 cups (6-1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet Ghiradelli Mini Chips

1 cup (6 ounces) *Raspberry Jammy Bits

3 tablespoons (2-1/4 ounces) raspberry jam, with seeds or without

1 tablespoon Chambord Liqueur

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1-1/3 cups (8 ounces) Ghiradelli 60% or 70% Bittersweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bar

1-1/3 cups (8 ounces) Ghiradelli Semi-sweet Chocolate Premium Baking Bar

1 tablespoon Espresso powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray with canola oil spray a 9 inch x 13 inch baking pan.  Line the pan with aluminum foil (see pictures below), leaving foil sticking up above the edges of the pan, by about 2 inches.  This way when the brownie is ready to come out, you will have these lovely aluminum handles to lift the brownie out of the pan.

Place eggs in medium bowl, add vanilla and set aside.

Combine cocoa powder, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, flour in medium bowl and whisk to combine.

Combine mini chips and raspberry jammy bits in another medium bowl.

Place the raspberry jam and the chambord in a small microwavable bowl.

Place melted butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat on low to combine.  Add eggs/vanilla and beat until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat for about 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients and when almost combined, add chips and bits and beat until just combined.

Put batter into the prepared pan and while holding the aluminum foil, spread the batter evenly into the pan.  The batter will be quite thick.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Remove brownies from oven.   Heat the chambord and jam for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir together to combine.  Brush the still warm brownie with the chambord and jam mixture.  Cool completely, for an hour or longer.

When the brownie is almost completely cool, make the chocolate ganache.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces (see pictures below) and place in a medium/large microwaveable bowl.  Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a microwaveable glass measuring cup for about 1-3 minute in the microwave, until steaming but NOT boiling or simmering, be careful.  Pour cream mixture over the chocolate and wait 5 minutes.  Stir the chocolate with a whisk until smooth.  If for some reason you are still seeing chunks of chocolate, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir again.  When nice and smooth, add espresso powder and stir again until completely combined.

Pour the still warm chocolate ganache over the brownies and spread evenly.  Cover brownies with aluminum foil (don’t let it touch the ganache) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until the ganache is completely set.

Take a dinner knife or a cake spatula and slide along the pan and brownie on the side that does not have aluminum foil.  Then remove the brownies from the pan using the aluminum handles and place on a cutting board.  Remove the foil.

Cut the brownie in half, crosswise, and set the second piece aside.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the brownies into serving pieces.  Do the same to the other half.

Serve and watch as your guests swoon 🙂

mise en place:

butter, sugar, egg/vanilla light and fluffy:

spread batter into pan:

chambord/raspberry jam mixture:

spread onto warmed brownie:

chopping chocolate for ganache and placing in microwaveable bowl:

pouring cream over chopped chocolate:

stir until smooth and then add espresso:

pour over thoroughly cooled brownie and spread:

the ganache should look like this when taken out of the refrigerator:

remove from pan, take off aluminum foil and cut brownie in half:

and cut into serving pieces: