Hello, strangers! I'm back in the kitchen and am so grateful it has cooled down outside so I can start using my oven regularly again. Last week was my dear husband's birthday and I said he could have any dessert he wanted. All he said was that he wanted something with chocolate and fruit. So with a million possibilities, I narrowed it down to these fudgy raspberry brownies (mostly because I already had everything at home). They took no time at all to make and Justin loved them! Although I adore my KA mixer, it was nice to make a dessert by hand for a change.(less cleanup!) And in case you were wondering, being impatient and putting lit candles in not-completely-cooled brownies is not the best idea...

Fudgy Raspberry Brownies

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 in. pan with foil, making sure it goes up all four sides. Mist with non-stick spray or grease lightly.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk. Let cool slightly. Once mixture has cooled for a few minutes, gradually stir in flour and baking powder, just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread about 3/4 of the batter evening in the pan. Carefully spread raspberry preserves on top of the batter. Drizzle remaining batter evenly over preserves, then swirl mixtures together and smooth top slightly with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Source: adapted from Recipezaar