Valentine's Day is known to some as strictly a "Hallmark holiday". But for every person who doesn't believe in it, there will be five to sing its praises. There is no better way to celebrate a holiday that oozes love and warm feelings than with chocolate. If you're the type to skip right over the meal and hit up the dessert table, we suggest starting with these fudgy raspberry brownies. They're soft and gooey on the inside with a somewhat crisp shell on top. All of that is topped with a spread of warm raspberry jam to pull it all together. We cut ours into heart shapes to stick with the love theme. Feel free to slice them as squares, but the shape really does add a little something extra. br
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup melted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Bonne Maman raspberry jam
Directions
Special tools needed: a heart-shaped cookie cutter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9" x 13" baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cocoa, vanilla and baking powder until smooth. In another bowl, stir together butter and sugar until completely combined. Pour the butter into the cocoa mixture and stir well until it is fully combined and smooth. Slowly add in the flour 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Spread the mixture into the baking dish, smoothing out the top. Bake for 25 minutes until cooked through - a toothpick should come out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Once completely cooled, use the cookie cutter and cut out as many heart shapes as possible. Take the jam and heat it for 10 seconds in the microwave. Use a knife and generously spread the jam on top of the ownies.
Note - If you are making these with the intention of transporting them, keep in mind that the jam will stick to any sort of wrapping. They are best kept in a flat, air-tight container.
Serves 10
--Kim Cooper--
