Chocolate Raspberry Buttercreams
Submitted by hank
Chocolate raspberry buttercream bars with a fudgy brownie base, raspberry jam layer, silky French buttercream, and a chocolate drizzle top. A bakery-style dessert worth the effort.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
2 hrsA three-layer chocolate dessert that brings patisserie technique into a home kitchen. The base is a dense, fudgy brownie made with four ounces of unsweetened chocolate and four eggs. A spread of seedless raspberry jam sits between the brownie and the top layer. The top is silky French buttercream, which is where the “raspberry buttercream” name actually comes from, spread thick and finished with a chocolate glaze drizzle.
French buttercream is the buttercream to know. Unlike American buttercream (butter whipped with powdered sugar) or Italian meringue buttercream (egg whites beaten with hot sugar syrup), French buttercream uses whole eggs beaten with hot sugar syrup poured in while the mixer runs. The result is silkier, richer, and more stable than the shortcut methods, with the kind of slip that slides off a fork cleanly. Melted chocolate gets folded in at the end to turn it into chocolate buttercream.
The hot sugar syrup step is the most technical move. Boil sugar and water for exactly one minute, then pour it into beaten eggs while the mixer runs on high. Beat for a full five minutes or until the mixture is thick, lemon-pale, and cool to the touch. That cool-down is critical; warm buttercream will melt the butter into a soupy mess.
Pro Tips
- Use seedless raspberry jam for clean layer separation. Seeded jam leaves visible bits that muddy the bar’s appearance.
- Soften butter to room-temperature-but-not-melted stage before adding to the cooled egg mixture. Cold butter won’t incorporate; melted butter breaks the emulsion.
- Chill the bars at least an hour after the glaze goes on. Warm bars cut messily; cold bars slice clean.
- Run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe dry between cuts for bakery-clean edges.
Variations
- Swap raspberry jam for strawberry, cherry, or apricot preserves.
- Add a tablespoon of raspberry liqueur (Framboise or Chambord) to the buttercream for boozier flavor.
- Finish with fresh raspberries on top before the glaze sets for color contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Grease 9 x13 inch pan. Bottom Layer:In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 4 oz. chocolate and ½ cup butter, stirring constantly; remove from heat.
Cool. In a large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar, vanilla and 4 eggs. Stir in melted chocolate mixture just until blended.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour just until blended.
Spread mixture evenly in pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool.
Spread raspberry preserves over base.
Filling: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 2 oz semisweet chocolate and 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. In another small saucepan, bring ⅓ cup sugar and water to a boil.
Boil 1 minute. In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs until frothy. Gradually add sugar water mixture and beat on highest speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.
Gradually add butter a small piece at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until smooth. Spread over preserves.
Glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring constantly.
Drizzle over filling. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into bars.
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