Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Bites

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, these are beautiful luscious bites of deep dark chocolate laced with raspberry.

Makes 48 truffle bites, or 24 brownies

Brownie:

• 6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
• 12 T. unsalted butter
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ t. vanilla
• ¼ t. salt
• 1 cup flour

Ganache Topping:

• ½ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1 T. butter
• 8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• Fresh raspberries to garnish

To make brownie:
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13×9 pyrex pan with parchment, overhang edges. Butter parchment.

Combine chocolate, butter and jam in heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth and melted. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, then eggs. Add vanilla and salt. Stir in flour, just until combined but thoroughly mixed. Spread into prepared pan. Bake until a few moist crumbs attach to toothpick, 30 minutes. Check at 25 minutes and be sure to not overbake.

Meanwhile, make topping:
Combine cream, jam and butter in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer, just until melted. Remove from heat, add chocolate. Stir until smooth.

Spread topping over brownie once removed from oven. Let stand at room temperature until cool, then wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, lift out brownie as one piece (using parchment) and place on cutting board. Use a very sharp knife to trim edges, wiping knife with hot towels to keep clean. Cut into small bite-size pieces. Top each with a fresh raspberry to serve. You can also use mini pastry cases (like muffin cups, but smaller) to hold the truffle bites.