Easy Raspberry Brownies

5 from 1 vote

Oh so gooey, these fruity chocolate brownies are a rich and indulgent chocolate bake. Topped with an optional creamy mascarpone peanut butter frosting, they are dangerously addictive.

Prep Time25

Cook Time22

Total Time47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 402kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

1 8x8-inch metal baking tin (20x20cm).

Ingredients

For the Brownies

120 g/ ½ cup/ 4 ¼ oz Butter (unsalted)
170 g/ 1 cup/ 6 oz Dark chocolate
100 g/ ½ cup / 3 ½ oz White sugar
110 g/ ½ cup/ 4oz Dark Muscovado sugar
2 Eggs (large, free range)
2 Egg yolks (large, free range)
¼ teaspoon Salt
30 g/ 1 oz Cocoa powder
85 g/ ⅔ cup/ 3 oz Plain (all purpose) flour
125 g / 5 oz Fresh raspberries

For the Frosting

75 g/ ⅓ cup Butter
75 g/ ⅓ cup Mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoon 3 tablespoon Peanut butter (smooth)r
¾ teaspoon ¾ teaspoon Vanilla extract
75 g/ ⅔ cup Icing (confectionary) sugar

Garnishes - all optional

Cocoa powder
Fresh raspberries
Peanut butter baking chips

Instructions

Make the Brownies

Preheat (fan) oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM4 and line a 7x 7 inch baking tin with butter and parchment.
Weigh out the sugar and break down any lumps in the muscovado sugar using your fingers.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a bain marie. Once melted, mix until smooth.
Stir in the sugars.
Add the eggs & yolks and beat to just combine using a handheld balloon whisk.
Sieve the flour, cocoa and salt into the batter and mix until just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared tin and poke half of the raspberries into it. Top with the remaining batter, level and poke the remaining berries into the batter.
Bake for 22 minutes. At this point test with a toothpick - insert it into the centre of the brownie - if raw batter is evident on the stick continue to back for another 2-3 minutes and test again. Continue until the toothpick comes out with no raw batter clinging to it.
Take the tin out of the oven and let the brownie cool completely in the tin.

Make the Frosting

Beat the butter until it is light and fluffy.
Add the mascarpone and continue to beat until a smooth consistency is reached again - it may split at first, but keep on beating and it will come back together (you'll think it's ruined and will never come back together, but have faith, it does).
Mix in the vanilla extract and peanut butter. Beat again.
Sieve the icing sugar and gradually beat in - a spoonful at a time. Continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Decorating

Let the brownie cool completely then spread with the buttercream.
Cut into 12 small squares.
Decorate with a dusting of cocoa powder, fresh raspberries or peanut butter candy chips.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Always line your tin, even if it claims to be non-stick. This way the brownies will always be easy to remove from the tin.
Begin testing the brownies for doneness at the minimum suggested cooking time suggested. Oven temperatures do vary slightly, so it's best to keep on testing every few minutes from this point to ensure they come out of the oven at just the right point
They are cooked when a cocktail pick inserted into the centre comes out without liquid batter on it, but perhaps a few crumbs.
Let the brownie cool entirely before cutting. The squares will end up neater.
It's your choice how to decorate your chocolate and raspberry brownies - I couldn't decide so I went for a mixture of fresh raspberries and peanut butter candy chips.
And you can slather the frosting on with a knife or pipe it on for a more polished look.
And if buttercream frosting is not your thing, then leave it off and instead serve these beauties with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream alongside. I call this sheer dessert heaven.

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