Tuesday, June 3, 2008

TWD: French Raspberry Chocolate Brownie Tarts



If there's a combination I love almost as much as Kahlua and Chocolate...it's Chocolate and Raspberries. When Di From Di's Kitchen Notebook chose French Chocolate Brownies this week for our Tuesdays with Dorie...I mentally filed the name and visual on the recipe away...but didn't do anything with it. Then on Saturday, I thought ... chocolate and raspberries. Then I started thinking...Chambord and chocolate. Oooh. We're onto something here. $29.99 later for a beautiful round bottle of Chambord, and a bag of frozen raspberries, and I was in business.



I doubled the recipe so that I'd have enough for an event I'm going to on Tuesday evening as well. After reading the P&Q on the TWD forum...I knew that the brownies took a little longer to cook than it seemed they might..and that the top would be crazy crazy crackly. There was a lot of unhappiness with the raisins and rum, honestly I just want to bake...adapt it to suit you, if you don't like the original recipe. That's the beauty of baking! It's good regardless.



Did anyone else notice the 6oz of chocolate in this recipe? That is like 2 full chocolate bars!! So because I doubled the recipe, it was almost 4 bars of chocolate..a 56% Vahlrona, a 71% Vahlrona, a 70% Dark Organic bar, and 1/2 of a leftover 61% Vahlrona. Crazy...I almost took a photo of the crumpled up choco carnage but I was too distracted trying to get my butter to melt into my chocolate.



After the melting...the batter itself was almost too easy. I love the sugar and egg fluffing. Added the chocolate, the dry, folded it together. Added the raspberries to the batter, poured the event brownies so that I wouldn't accidentally intoxicate anyone with too much Chambord at this event...and then the Chambord into the rest of the batter, which would be consumed later by lucky us.



I did a large pan of regular brownies, and baked our brownies in mini tart pans... hoping the brownies would rise and puff over the top kinda like a brioche, but it didn't quite happen that way. I let them bake extra long...and even then the inside bottom was still soft though yep the top was cutesy crackly. I kinda liked it.



Don't know that I'd call these a brownie..well maybe. Let them cool and tried to unmold from the little tart pans...even with a bunch of greasing, it was sooo not happening. Nevermind ... a spoon works just as well.



Let the big brownie block cool and cut it up. Ths is really a recipe that is hard to 'serve' well to others if they are using hands. The top is very crumbly and the whole thing wants to 'fall apart' when you touch it...it just begs you to eat the crumbs as they drop off. I had to oblige!!





The raspberries in these are amazing. The Chambord and raspberries are doubly amazing. I absolutely love raspberries...and berries in general. The funny thing is that the liquer totally seems to bake almost entirely out of the product. The non-Chambord batch tastes just a tiny bit less rich than the ones with Chambord. I prefer with but both are fabulous.

I would probably make them again but in individual little pans so that each person could use a spoon to eat it...brownie-wise they don't hold up quite as well to grubby hands'ing. But TASTE. The hub bit into one and said 'Mmmmmm'. That pretty much sums it up.



Check out the recipe at Di's blog and also the rest of the TWD commmunity's fabulously tasty brownies.

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very nice, and lovely combination. Chambord and champagne is a nice cocktail if you have leftovers.

Engineer Baker said...

Cute little brownie tarts, all dressed up with Chambord - great idea!

Anonymous said...

Awesome flavour combo! Yours sound so delicious, raspberries and choco is pretty much as good as it gets!

Bumblebutton said...

Very cute tarts. My you were generous with the raspberries--glad they were enjoyed!

April said...

Very cute!! I love the tarts! The combo that you used sounds delicious!

Honeyed Hashette said...

These are so cute, Mara!
I love raspberries, but not raspberry and chocolate.
I know. I'm weird.
I don't like chocolate and orange either.

Katrina said...

Lovely tartelettes! I love the idea of using Chambord and Rasberries.

CB said...

Chambord and raspberries is just genius! I totally want to try that now! Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Unknown said...

I love that flavor combination - lovely brownies!

PheMom said...

I love the little tartlets - and chocolate and raspberries is heavenly!

Mary Ann said...

Seriously, those look to die for and the flavor combo has my mouth watering!

Anonymous said...

Chambord and Raspberries?! Brilliant!

And those look amazing!

The Kitchen Vixen said...

oh! they look adorable in their mini tart pans decorated with raspberries! great job!

Susie Homemaker said...

oooh - mini tart pans! I just bought some, so i will def have to try your idea!

Di said...

Chocolate and raspberry is one of my favorite flavor combos. I really need to get a new bottle of Chambord... And I agree, these brownies are better eaten with a spoon than out of hand.

Mari said...

I have a lotta respect for a woman who goes out and buys a bottle of booze to bake, as I am also so inclined. Chambord is a new discovery for me, but we've mostly just been drinking it in cocktails since I set my boyfriend up with a mixologist's kit and the makings of a fine cocktail bar. Yummy...but oh so dangerous!

Christine said...

A wonderful combination! Your brownies look delish!

Tammy said...

fabulous! love the raaspberries!

Heather B said...

Your brownies look amazing! Love the raspberries!

Anonymous said...

You are so creative and I learned a lot from this post...thanks for sharing. Your photos are stunning.

eatme_delicious said...

Yum! Especially that lost shot. And I love how the brownies look in those little tart pans (brioche pans?)

LyB said...

Fluted brownies, how very chic! Funny how some bakers got the thick crackly crust and some didn't, mine held up really well cut into squares. Either way, they're delicious!

Anonymous said...

Oh my, they look so good in that white pan and the little tins. Great, great job!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous pictures! I love the little tart brownies!

BAKE-EN said...

Your pictures are great, and so is your post :) Great job!

Prudy said...

Holy smokes-everything you make looks insanely good. After your brownies, I want your coffee swirled cupcakes.

Anonymous said...

Great job - the raspberries look amazing!

Susan @ SGCC said...

You did a wonderful job with those brownies. They look to die for! Love the raspberry/Chambord combo. I almost used Chambord too.

Amelia said...

These brownies look divine! And I always enjoy all your food photos '=] These ones are great!!

noskos said...

Job well done, they look great!

Jayne said...

Great job!

Heather said...

Wow! There is nothing more to be said here but...wow!

Rose said...

The raspberries look delicious! Great addition!

Amy said...

Beautiful brownies! I used raspberries too!

Allison said...

Wow. Beautiful pictures! I don't really like raspberries, but your pictures still made my mouth water.

Anonymous said...

Great job! I love the tart variation!

Liliana said...

I love the brownie tarts with the raspberry on top! Great job!

I also love the name of your blog!

Shari@Whisk: a food blog said...

Chambord, raspberries, and chocolate! Delicious. Great photos.
Shari@Whisk: a food blog

Jaime said...

wow, love the mini tarts! sorry the chambord flavor didn't shine so much!

Mary said...

I have a love affair with Chambord. That bottle wouldn't last long in my house. Loved your post!

betty geek said...

I just bought some raspberries on sale (I have to buy everything on sale nowadays due to gas prices). I am going to make some chocolate and raspberry cupcakes next Saturday!