Name: White Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon table salt; 6 ounces (170 grams) white chocolate , divided; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened; ½ cup (3½ ounces/99 grams) plus 2 teaspoons sugar , divided; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 5 ounces (142 grams/1 cup) raspberries

Why This Recipe Works

When stirred into batter and baked, white chocolate infuses these blondie-like bars with a complex, buttery, caramelized flavor that gives dark chocolate brownies a run for their money. These white chocolate bars are satisfyingly chewy—the way a good bar cookie should be—without being heavy. We used just enough white chocolate for a moist, rich-tasting bar but not so much that it was cloyingly sweet. Juicy, bright raspberries are a perfect foil to the silky, mild sweetness of white chocolate, so we punctuated these bars with whole fresh berries. Tossing the raspberries with a little sugar before pressing them into the batter encouraged them to roast and caramelize and tempered their tartness a bit. Baking these bars at a slightly higher temperature than most brownie recipes call for—375 degrees instead of 350—resulted in beautifully browned edges that further enhanced the caramel notes. An elegant drizzle of white chocolate provided just the right finishing touch to these dressed-up bars.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Make foil sling for 8-inch square baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil so each is 8 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Roughly chop 3 ounces (85 grams) chocolate and microwave in second bowl at 50 percent power, stirring often, until melted, about 1 minute. Chop remaining 3 ounces (85 grams) chocolate into ½-inch pieces.

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and ½ cup sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add melted chocolate and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 45 seconds. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons chopped chocolate.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread into even layer. Toss raspberries with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar to coat and gently press into batter, spacing evenly apart. Bake until edges are puffed and golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Microwave reserved 2 tablespoons chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 45 seconds. Drizzle melted chocolate over bars. Cut into 16 pieces and let chocolate set, about 30 minutes, before serving.