Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Brownies

Hello again.

Well, this weekend was an incredibly busy one. Full of rowing and rain and heat and sunburn. I had a great time at the regatta we travelled down to Sydney for, even though the weather was being crazy as hell. First it was foggy and cold and absolutely bucketing down with rain, then it cleared up and got super, super hot. To prove how hot it was, I put sunscreen on three times, and I still got burnt! My poor ears are all red now, it looks like I'm embarrassed all the time. Oh dear.

The school year is finally rounding up, and I am excited for the holidays. Year 12 is, to say the least, quite intense. I'm not sure what I'm meant to do in the summer holidays - twiddle my thumbs and wait for my schooling to return next year, or do some work? Maybe I should just bake for the whole holidays. Yes. That would be good.

Ooh! Christmas is coming too! By this time next week, I assure you that I'll have my Christmas tree up and decorated, the twinkle lights draped over the front of the house, and I'll be spreading some Chrissy cheer to the people around me - whether they like it or not!

Have you guessed that Christmas is my favourite time of year?

Anyway... I'm sure you want me to divulge the amazingness that is these Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Brownies. The other week, my friends baked some brownies. I bit into one, and a little red splotch gleamed up at me. I thought I had bit into my lip or something, but no, they had baked brownies with raspberries in them! I had never heard of such a thing. Are they a well-known brownie ingredient? I was simultaneously confused and delighted.

So I just HAD to make them. I adapted a simple brownie recipe from a book called 'Chocolate Magic' by Kate Shirazi, and added the raspberries and some good ol' white chocolate chips (for a more traditional spin).

Raspberries and white chocolate = red and white = Christmas!

... I'm sorry, I'll stop now.

The result is an intense, soft and fudgy treat, that marries together distinct flavours perfectly. The raspberries kind of melt into the brownie, which gives the brownie a lovely texture and a fantastic 'zing'.

Please do me a favour, and don't overcook the brownies! There is nothing worse than a dry brownie. Much appreciated. Thank you very much.

Go on! Get baking!

Raspberry and White Chocolate Chip Brownies

 Makes about 12

Ingredients:

110g unsalted butter

75g dark chocolate, chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

225g caster sugar

50g plain flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

100g white chocolate chips

100g fresh (or frozen) raspberries

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a square/rectangular tin and line it with baking paper (making sure that it hangs slightly over the sides, as the brownies do rise before falling back down again).

Melt the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl that sits perfectly on top of some boiling water in a small saucepan on the stove (make sure that the bowl doesn't touch the water!). Stir with a wooden spoon to get rid of any lumps. Once smooth, remopve from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder and mix well with a wooden spoon until smooth. GENTLY mix in the white chocolate chips and raspberries (raspberries are very soft and easily squished!) Pour batter into the tin, making sure it's spread easily.

Bake for 30 minutes, until top is crusty, but inside is still moist. Leave the brownies in the tin to cool for 10 minutes (the middle will harden as it cools). Cut  into about 16 squares, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.