White Chocolate Brownies

The White Chocolate Brownies are one of the most inviting pictures in Dorie's Baking. They just look divine. I don't even really like brownies, but these look wonderful in her book, plus white chocolate and raspberries are a winning combination. My picture doesn't do these justice. But, it was snowing, the sky was gray and I knew there wouldn't be any left in the morning. I halved the recipe and made these in a 8-inch round cake pan. The meringue was high and beautiful, but I accidentally squashed it when I was removing them from the pan. I also had to add about 15 minutes onto the baking time for these to bake through. So if you make them and they are a bit wobbly, put them back in the oven for a few more minutes. The wait will be worth it.

Dorie's White Chocolate Brownies from Baking: from my home to yours

Ingredients:
2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsps grated orange zest
4 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh raspberries

for the meringue:

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper, butter the paper and dust the bottom and sides of pan with flour; tap out the excess. Put the pan on a baking sheet
Whisk together flour, ground almonds, and salt.
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of only-just-simmering water. Put the butter in the bowl, top with the chopped chocolate and stir frequently until the ingredients are melted-you don't want them to get so hot that the butter or the white chocolate separates. Remove the pan from the pan of water.

Working in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in another large bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic.
Add the eggs and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes (they should be pale and foamy). Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and blend in the melted butter and white chocolate mixture. With mixer still on low, mix in the dry ingredients, stirring only until they disappear into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the raspberries evenly over the batter. Set aside while you make the meringue.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until the are foamy and just turn opaque. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and add the sugar in a slow, steady stream. Whip the whites until the form firm but still glossy peaks.

Gently spread the meringue over the brownie batter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the meringue is browned and crackly and the brownies pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool to room temperature in the pan. Cover a cooling rack with a piece of wax paper, dust with powdered sugar, and very gently, so you don't squish the meringue, turn the brownies out onto the rack. Peel away the parchment paper lining and carefully invert the brownies onto a cutting board. Cut into 32 bars.

Coming Tomorrow- Citrus Salad with Pomegranate and Pistachios and Roasted Cauliflower