Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(33)

Bake the crust at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven, set it on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner, BUT DON’T SHUT OFF THE OVEN.

While your crust is baking, make the filling so it’s ready to pour on top of the crust when it comes out of the oven.

The Raspberry Filling:

Mix the eggs with the white sugar until they’re nice and fluffy.

Melt the half-cup seedless raspberry jam in a microwave-safe cup on HIGH in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the jam for another 30 seconds to cool it and then beat it into the egg and sugar mixture.

Add the salt and baking powder. Mix them in thoroughly.

Mix in the flour and beat until everything is combined.

Hannah’s 2nd Note: This filling will be runny—it’s supposed to be.

When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the filling over the top. Stick the pan back in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F. for another 30 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and set it on a cold burner. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Then make the Raspberry Glaze.

For the Raspberry Glaze:

Measure out ? cup of seedless raspberry jam and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it until it’s smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted jam over the top of the bar cookies. This very thin layer of jam will be the glaze.

Place the pan in the refrigerator so that the jam will cool and solidify. (Mine took about 30 minutes.)

For the Chocolate Frosting:

Make the frosting by placing the butter, sugar, and cream into a medium-size saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil at MEDIUM HIGH heat, stirring constantly. Then lower the heat to MEDIUM and cook for exactly 2 minutes.

Add the half-cup of chocolate chips, stir them in until melted, and then remove the saucepan from the heat and slide it onto a cold burner.

Stir in the vanilla extract. (Be careful—it may sputter.)

Pour the frosting over the cookie bars, grab the cake pan, and tip it so that the frosting covers the whole top.

Stick the pan back into the refrigerator for at least an hour before you attempt to cut and serve your Berried Treasure Cookie Bars.

To serve, cut the cookie bars into brownie-sized pieces and place them on a pretty platter.

Hannah’s 3rd Note: Doctor Bev served these on the day the crane lifted the dome over the penthouse garden on top of the Albion Hotel. Andrea heard her tell several people that she’d baked them, but folks here in Lake Eden know better.

Chapter Eleven


“I’ll go pick up Tracey and meet you on the porch,” Andrea said, heading for the kitchen door. But before she got there, she turned to look at the half-pan of Berried Treasure Bar Cookies that were left. “Maybe you could bring those? I mean . . . Tracey hasn’t tasted them yet, and . . . well . . . I could use a couple more.”

Hannah was amused. Andrea had already eaten three and now she wanted more. The Berried Treasure Bar Cookies had been a complete success. The shortbread crust was tender and crisp, the raspberry filling was redolent with the taste of ripe raspberries, and the red raspberry glaze added a burst of tart flavor that contrasted beautifully with the chocolate frosting on top. Everyone at The Cookie Jar had tasted them and pronounced them a hit, and Marge and Jack had both declared they were the best bar cookie recipe Hannah had ever baked.

“Bring those, too.” Andrea gestured toward Hannah’s second experiment of the morning, brownies topped with a raspberry glaze that was covered by fudge frosting. “What do you call them? You can’t have a recipe without a name.”

“Nameless Raspberry Brownies?” Hannah suggested a trifle facetiously.

“Don’t be silly. There’s got to be a better name than that.” Andrea thought for a moment. “Remember that Razzle Dazzle Baked Brie you made for the luncheon at Mother’s Cookie Exchange last year?”

“Of course I do.”

“Well, why don’t we name these bar cookies Razzle Dazzle Brownies?”

“That’s perfect, Andrea.”

“Thanks.” Andrea looked pleased that Hannah liked the name. “I’ll leave the screen door to the front porch unlocked. Just let yourself in if you get there before we do. The Petersons left their porch furniture so we’ll have a place to sit. And the electricity’s still on so I’m going to put soft drinks and bottled water in the refrigerator. Just help yourselves if we’re not there yet.”

“I’m really glad the Petersons listed their house with you,” Hannah told her. “It’s got a great view of the hotel.”

“And the front porch is screened in,” Lisa added. “We won’t be bothered by mosquitoes.”

Andrea nodded. “It’s a great house. If I didn’t live where I live, I’d consider it. See you at two-thirty. And please don’t forget those bar cookies!”

Of course there was a complication. There was always a complication when it came to large orders. Hannah and Lisa had boxed all the bar cookies Doctor Bev had ordered and stacked them on the table by the front door of The Cookie Jar to wait for Roger’s two o’clock arrival. But two o’clock came and went and Roger hadn’t appeared. It was now five after two and Lisa and Hannah were more than ready to lock their front door and meet Andrea and Tracey at the Petersons’ front porch. Marge and Jack had already left. Delores had invited them to watch the crane from the second floor of Granny’s Attic, where an impromptu party was taking place.