Lazy Raspberry Picking

I wish that I was not so lazy.

It's a beautiful day here in New England-a tad hot-but beautiful. If I wasn't so lazy I would take my kids (one is away at Intelligence and National Security Camp-how scary is that? So I have only 2 this week) berry picking. But quite honestly the thought of being on my knees-or worse squatting and sifting through buggy plants to find "perfect" berries seems daunting. Do you see what I mean? I realize that I am just plain lazy...but, when I know that I can run to the supermarket where someone has done all the work for me It's just too easy to be lazy. I am "picking" in a way...I have to pick the best looking container-no moldy ones, just plump juicy ones. And I'm in air-conditioned comfort while I'm doing it. Lazy.

Honestly I would rather spend my lazy summer day baking something.

So I grabbed some (supermarket purchased) raspberries (they were organic, just for the record) and decided to make some Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Brownies. These brownies are a tad more cake-like than fudgy, so if you like your brownies "fudgier" try cutting the flour a bit-we like our brownies a little more cakey. Now just a warning here-these are not your run of the mill uber-sweet Duncan Hines variety. These brownies are definitely bittersweet. If you like them a little sweeter, you can up the sugar a bit-but I think served warm and dusted lightly with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and some fresh raspberries alongside they are just right.

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

Butter and unsweetened cocoa powder

6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger 70% cacao)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus additional for dusting

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x9 inch baking pan and then dust lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a medium sized bowl over a pot of simmering water. (If your microwave has a chocolate melting setting-which my new one does-you may use that). Allow the chocolate to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar and the vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour, baking powder and the salt. Add the melted chocolate and mix just until well combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the raspberries. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan before cutting into squares to serve. Lightly dust squares with confectioner's sugar before serving.