Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

There's been quite a few recipes for brownies on the blog including Italian Hazelnut, Chocolate Coconut and  Gianduja and the response so far has been really positive.  However I had to think of something new because they were being given to some very discerning people, the Flynns of The Tannery and my friends the Lovely Ladies at our weekend in Dungarvan.  I figured that chocolate was the perfect way to eat one of your five a day and although they're out of season, that my brownies would be perfect with raspberries.  So I used a punnet of frozen berries and they were beautiful.  Actually they were exquisite, if I'm being honest. I'd really recommend that you puree the thawed raspberries through a sieve to remove the pips because raspberry pips are a wee bit offputting and yes it's five minutes extra work, but it's a great upper arm workout!

These brownies keep well for 4-5 days in an airtight container although if your friends are anything like mine, they'll vanish in the blink of an eye, so make extra!

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

200g Dark Chocolate
170g Butter
3 Eggs
200g Caster Sugar
300g Raspberries (fresh or frozen)
110g Plain Flour

Heat your oven to 180c/Gas Mark 4 and line a square cake tin with baking paper.
Melt the chocolate and butter together (either in a bain marie or in the microwave) - do it very gently so the chocolate doesn't burn.  Let it cool for 15 minutes.

Set aside the prettiest 100g of berries and puree the rest through a sieve.  

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and frothy, then add the pureed raspberries and mix well.  Pour the chocolate into the bowl, whisking well so there's no hidden eggy bits lurking at the bottom of the bowl.  Finally, fold in the flour and then pour into your baking tin.

Press the reserved raspberries into the brownie mixture at even intervals - the aim is to have them fairly square so when you cut them, the raspberries are in the middle of each piece.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is cracked and shiny (check it from 25 minutes on).  The brownie will be slightly squidgy in the middle.  Let it cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin, hiding half for yourself and then cutting the rest into squares.  Dust with icing sugar if you're feeling particularly energetic.