Most Loved Chocolate-Rasberry Brownies

Chocolate and raspberry were made for each other, and these fudgy brownies layer them in the most satisfying way: a hidden ribbon of tart raspberry jam sealed right in the middle of a dense, chocolate-rich batter studded with toasted walnuts.

The secret to keeping that jam suspended in the center, rather than sinking to the bottom or oozing out the top, is a clever freezing trick. You pour most of the batter into the pan and freeze it just until firm, spread the raspberry jam over that solid base, then spoon the rest of the batter on top. The firm bottom layer holds the jam in place so it bakes into a clean, even seam.

Everything else is classic fudgy-brownie technique. Melting the butter and chocolate together (rather than creaming) gives that dense, chewy texture, and toasting the walnuts first deepens their flavor and keeps them crisp. Don’t overbake; pull the brownies when a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs, not clean, so they stay fudgy. Cool completely before cutting, which lets the jam set and gives you tidy squares with that gorgeous raspberry stripe running through the middle.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the freezing step. Firming the bottom layer keeps the raspberry jam suspended in the center instead of sinking.
• Toast the walnuts before adding them for deeper, nuttier flavor and lasting crunch.
• Pull the brownies when a tester has a few moist crumbs, not clean. Overbaked brownies turn cakey and dry.
• Cool completely before cutting so the jam sets and the squares slice cleanly.

Variations

• Swap raspberry jam for seedless blackberry, cherry, or apricot preserves.
• Use pecans instead of walnuts, or leave the nuts out.
• Drizzle melted white or dark chocolate over the cooled, cut brownies.