Raspberry truffle brownies

I was kind of going to do a low-carb thing over May, and then I thought maybe June, and now it is pretty clear that isn’t going to happen. Because I keep deciding I just have to have sugar, preferably with cream cheese somewhere in the recipe as well. And chocolate, of course. Besides, there was a potluck, so I had to make something! I made these, which are a big favorite for my mother as well as for me. I’ve seen this recipe in Taste of Home, but it’s a pretty common recipe so I don’t know where it came from originally. But good job, whoever made these brownies first!

Raspberry Truffle Brownies

1/2 C butter

1 1/4 C chocolate chips

2 eggs

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1 tsp instant coffee granules

2 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 C chocolate chips

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 C powdered sugar

1/3 C seedless raspberry jam

Bar white chocolate, for garnish

Okay, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs and brown sugar; dissolve the coffee granules in the water and add to the egg mixture. Beat in the melted chocolate. Whisk the baking powder into the flour and add to the egg mixture.

Pour batter into a greased 9″ square baking dish (line the pan with foil and grease foil for easiest cutting) and bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick an inch from the center comes out clean. I overbake this recipe from time to time and if you do that, the brownies will be dry. So I’d suggest testing early and often. This is why I give such a large range of baking times.

Melt the chocolate chips with the cream cheese in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar and raspberry jam. Spread over mostly cool brownies and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before slicing.

To me, these brownies are tasty but plain-looking. You can spruce up the appearance easily by taking a white chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler. Just hold the chocolate bar over the brownies and peel off shavings and curls. You’ll get bigger, smoother curls on a hot day and little shavings on a cold day, but either way the white chocolate will greatly enhance the look of lots of chocolate desserts, including these brownies.