Raspberry Truffle Brownie Bars

1-cup (8-oz) butter, melted

¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa

1-3/4 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

2/3 cup raspberry jam

1-tsp raspberry flavor, optional

1-cup unbleached all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1-C (6-oz) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (optional-nah)

Raspberry-Fudge Glaze:

¼-cup raspberry jam

¾ cup (4.5-oz)chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

2-Tbsp light corn syrup

2-Tbsp butter

½-tsp raspberry flavor, optional

Heat oven to 325 degrees

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the melted butter, cocoa, sugar, salt, jam and flavor. Stir in the flour, eggs and chips. Pour the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan, spreading until it's level.

Bake the brownies for 28 to 32 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the brownies will look slightly wobbly in the middle (i found it took longer) Cool them for 1-hour before glazing.

To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients. Cook over low heat, or in the microwave, until the chocolate and butter and melted. Stir until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Cool for several hours before cutting the brownies with a knife that you've run under hot water.

Makes 2 doz bars.

Per serving: 234 calories, 11 grams fat, 2 grams protein, 31 grams carb, 1 gram dietary fiber, 66 mg sodium.

From “King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion,” printed in the Courier Journal, Wednesday, 9June04