CHOCOLATE & RASPBERRIES, A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: Guest post and recipe by Susan Bernhardt

Chocolate and Raspberries, a Match Made in Heaven: Guest post by Susan Bernhardt

The combination of chocolate and fruit is a classic one: chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate dipped fresh fruit, chocolate raspberry torte, etc.

Every summer I look forward to our raspberries ripening. I check on their development daily and wait in anticipation, dreaming about making my favorite muffins, raspberry chocolate chip.

Throughout the month of July I freeze several quarts of raspberries so we may also enjoy the taste of summer all winter long.

"What good is the cold of winter, without the warmth of summer to give it sweetness."

 I don't think raspberry chocolate chip muffins are what John Steinbeck was referring to here, but for me, it is. Here is the recipe.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins 
This makes approx. 18 regular sized muffins. 

Ingredients: 

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar – I put in about 1/2 cup.
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract – I often skip this.
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips – I use 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
1 1/4 cups fresh raspberries – May use frozen. I thaw and drain them before using.
Optional – Coarse sugar before baking. I've found that red looks best.

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease muffin pans with butter or nonstick spray or line with muffin liners. Set aside.

1. In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the two sugars and eggs together until combined. Then mix in the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined. Use a whisk to rid any large lumps of flour, if needed. Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick. Fold in the chocolate chips, then very gently fold in the raspberries to avoid any leakage of color and breaking up.

3. Divide batter between each muffin cup, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 350°F for 21 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and centers are set. Every oven is different. Stick a toothpick in the center of a muffin to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.

4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before serving.

5. Enjoy!

The muffins taste best fresh the first day. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Trust me, you'll eat them before the time is up.

Susan Bernhardt is the author of the Kay Driscoll and Irina Curtius Mysteries.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Torte: Guest post by Susan Bernhardt

My Mystery and Chocolate worlds collide again. Today I welcome mystery author Susan Bernhardt who writes the Kay Driscoll series. Like Kay Driscoll, in her cozy mystery, The Ginseng Conspiracy, Susan is a retired public health nurse who volunteers at her local free clinic. An avid reader of mysteries, she is a member of Sisters in Crime. Susan's town in northern Wisconsin is the inspiration for the quaint setting of her novel. Ninety-five percent of American ginseng is grown in this region. When not writing, Susan loves to travel, bicycle, kayak, and create culinary magic in her kitchen. She works in stained-glass, daydreams in her organic garden, stays up late reading mysteries, and eats lots of chocolate.

Susan Bernhardt:

As Halloween is drawing near...the days are shorter, there's a chill in the air, time for some hot tea, and a thrilling mystery. Curl up with a killer. THE GINSENG CONSPIRACY.

In the Halloween cozy THE GINSENG CONSPIRACY, Kay Driscoll and her friends, the free-spirited herbalist Deirdre and the untamed modern woman Elizabeth, discuss new clues over tea and pastries at Sweet Marissa's Patisserie, their crime-fighting headquarters.

Below is Kay's favorite chocolate dessert. She had two pieces of this shockingly rich, chocolate torte at Sweet Marissa's as she agonized over the frightening events that occurred the evening of a Halloween Ball, when she witnessed a murder.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLE TORTE 

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt 3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp Chambord or other raspberry-flavored liqueur or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cocoa powder, for garnish
Raspberries, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. Butter the paper and the sides of the pan.
2. Combine the chocolate, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the chocolate is finely ground. With the processor running, add the boiling water through the feed tube and process for about 15 seconds, until the chocolate is completely melted. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, then add the butter and process for about 5 seconds, until the batter is smooth. Add the eggs and Chambord and process until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the edges of the torte are puffy and cracked and the center is just set (it will still look moist). Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes (the torte will sink as it cools). Cover the pan and refrigerate for 3 hours.
4. Remove the sides of the springform pan and invert the torte onto a flat serving platter. Lift off the bottom of the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to garnish the torte.
5. Sprinkle with cocoa powder and garnish with the raspberries.

The Ginseng Conspiracy (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 1)
On her way to attend a Halloween Ball, Kay Driscoll, a newcomer to town, witnesses the murder of a local professor. When the official coroner's report rules the cause of death to be accidental and the community accepts the judgement, Kay decides to uncover the truth for herself. Through her personal investigations, Kay exposes a complex conspiracy, woven deep within the thriving local ginseng industry, that involves some of the more prominent figures and families of Sudbury Falls.

With her new friends, the free-spirited herbalist Deirdre and the untamed modern woman Elizabeth, Kay discusses new clues over tea and pastries at Sweet Marissa's Patisserie, their crime-fighting headquarters. As Kay gets closer to the heart of the conspiracy, additional murders happen in quick succession. Before long, Kay learns that the villains are gunning for her, too. Phil, her musically talented but preoccupied husband, determined to keep her safe, withholds from her the one thing she needs most: the truth.

Murder Under the Tree (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 2)
While Kay attends a Christmas tea at Hawthorne Hills Retirement Home, a beloved caretaker dies from an allergic reaction to peanuts. When the official coroner's report rules the cause of death to be accidental, a small group of residents suspect foul play and call upon Kay to investigate.

Kay uncovers sinister plots of corruption at the Home. During this season of peace on earth, good will to men, additional murders occur. Despite multiple attempts on her life, and with the support once again of her best friends, Elizabeth and Deirdre, Kay continues her quest for bringing justice for the victims.

Kay's first Christmas in Sudbury Falls is an unforgettable one, with equal amounts of celebration and danger. 'Tis the season to be sleuthing!

Murder by Fireworks (A Kay Driscoll Mystery Book 3) – Coming in November.