Chocolate Raspberry Buttercream Bars Food

CHOCOLATEY RASPBERRY CRUMB BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat butter in bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour, brown sugar and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
• Press about 1 3/4 cups mixture onto bottom of lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan with floured hands. Reserve remaining mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
• Combine in small heavy saucepan 1 cup morsels and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 3-5 minutes or until smooth. Spread over hot, partially baked crust.
• Stir chopped nuts into remaining crumb mixture; sprinkle over bars. Drop scant teaspoonfuls of raspberry jam over chocolate and crumb mixture; sprinkle with remaining morsels. Bake 25-30 minutes or until topping is light golden brown and center is set.
• Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; dust the pans with flour, and knock out excess.
• In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups water. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed. Mix in the butter and eggs, and then slowly add the buttermilk mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cake layers begin to pull away from sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes.
• For the Swiss meringue buttercream: Add the sugar and egg whites to a heatproof stand mixer bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. (Makes 7 cups. See Cook's Note.)
• For the raspberry buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 800 grams of the Swiss meringue buttercream together with the raspberry puree until fully incorporated. (Makes 4 cups.)
• To assemble: Level and tort both cakes--you will end up with 4 layers of cake. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; add about a 1/2-inch layer of the raspberry buttercream. Repeat until you have 4 stacked layers of cake and 3 layers of filling. Frost the cake with the remaining Swiss meringue buttercream.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until browned. Spread jam over warm crust. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add white chips; beat until smooth. Spread carefully over jam layer. Cool completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. , For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut into bars; chill 1 hour longer or until set. Store in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED RASPBERRY BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Lightly grease parchment.
• Make the brownies: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; once melted, stir in the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth; set aside and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
• Combine sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Mix in the cooled, melted chocolate, adding it to the bowl in a slow, steady stream. Mix in the dry ingredients in increments, at low speed, until just combined. Finish incorporating the batter by hand with a rubber spatula if necessary. Scrape the batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies tests clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow brownies to cool completely, 30 to 40 minutes.
• To prepare the topping, spread the raspberry jam evenly over the brownies in the pan, spreading right to the edge. Arrange the whole raspberries in a single layer over the jam.
• Place the chocolate chips in a medium, heat-proof mixing bowl. Warm heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the butter melts and the cream begins steaming and bubbling at the edges, pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to allow chocolate to melt; add salt and whisk until completely smooth. Pour the chocolate ganache over the raspberries. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully pull the brownies from the pan using parchment paper overhang; place on a cutting board and carefully peel the parchment paper from the sides. Slice into 9 squares and serve.