It seems as if this time of year is the ideal time to dust off your bakeware and apron and go to town in your kitchen.  Everyone is having holiday parties and who doesn’t like it when you bring a special homemade treat?  These brownies can be the perfect little bite sized desserts for your party.  You could even make them into holiday shapes!  If you’d rather try a different flavor, substitute their raspberry flavor for cinnamon, vanilla, strawberry, cocoa, or any other flavor you may want to experiment with.  The Chocolate Peppermint frosting can become what you’d like as well.  Have it match your flavorful brownies, or make it the perfect topping for a happy duo.  Also, try out the frosting on your other favorite desserts.  These recipes are sure to bring you and the kids together for a bakefest in the kitchen!  Have fun!!

Torani Raspberry Fudge Brownies:

1 cup Torani Raspberry syrup 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 oz. (6 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs + 1 egg yolk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 15 1/2” x 10 1/2” by 1-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Grease the foil.
Sift the flour together with the salt and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a small double boiler over moderate heat (It’s very important not to burn the chocolate.) Stir until smooth, remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter. Add the vanilla and sugars, mixing well. Add the Torani Raspberry syrup and beat until smooth. Add the eggs (including the yolk) one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate. On low speed, gradually add the flour, scraping the bowl as necessary and beating until smooth.
Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and spread to make smooth.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the freezer for 1 hour. Makes 28 brownies.

Top off your brownies with another great recipe from Torani.

Chocolate Peppermint Frosting:  1/2 cup Torani Peppermint syrup, 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar, 1 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Turn heat off and whisk in cocoa. Add about 1/2 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. Peppermint syrup and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed. While beating, continue to add sugar and Torani a little bit at a time, until all the sugar and syrup are mixed in and the frosting is a good consistency for spreading (add more syrup if needed). Add milk and beat until smooth.
Makes about 2 cups; enough for 30 cupcakes or brownies, or 2 9-inch cakes

ENJOY!!