Be prepared to be Razzle Dazzled! These deluxe yet simple brownies will impress even the pickiest snackers: chocolate brownies sweetened with raspberry jam. You will also enjoy this installment of a Hannah Swensen’s mystery, full of new characters and a twisted mystery.
Lake Eden, MN is growing. A new deluxe condominium building, complete with a deluxe penthouse. Seems like good news until we find out Dr. Bev is back and planning to live in the penthouse. This book directly follows the event of the previous book.
Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Razzle Dazzle Brownies
from a cozy mystery:
Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
by Joanne Fluke
Book Outline and Tone:
As Cinnamon Roll Muder (the previous Hannah Swensen novel) ended, the readers thought for sure Dr. Bev was gone for good. Her lies came to the surface and Norman was freed from her grasp. Unfortunately for Hannah and her friends, Dr. Bev is back, this time engaged to a wealthy businessman and driving a Maserati, a gift from her fiance. Why has she come back? It is clear she has ulterior motives.
Sometimes a foreshadow is big and easy to spot. This is not a spoiler, but when the novel introduces the reader to an automatic window washer on a penthouse suite, it doesn’t take much guessing that the device will come into play at some point. For this novel, that obvious foreshadow does not ruin the surprise or the ending. Hannah’s sister, Andrea, is a real estate agent and she is hosting an open house party for the new condominium building in Lake Eden. A new setting and new characters are introduced, always a great way to add more mystery!
The other main storyline involves a secretary from the sheriff’s office. Barbara has a head injury and suffers from a failed memory and inability to recall names. I love this way of creating mystery. She knows what happened but cannot communicate the story in a way that makes sense. Hannah and Barbara’s nurse play speech therapist and try to help Barbara remember family names. They use a visualization and rhyming strategy for her. It seems to me that I could use this myself as even though I don’t have a brain injury, I am horrible with names.
Point of View:
The story is told in third person limited, the reader knows what Hannah is thinking but not what other characters are thinking.
The Author: Joanne Fluke
Joanne Fluke published her first Hannah Swenson novel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, in 2001. Since then she has been a New York Times bestselling author several times. She is a popular guest on her local television station and she always uploads her interview to her Youtube Channel. She even has many interviews organized by the book. Some of her books have been made into movies on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel. Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery can be found https://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/. Joanne Fluke will interact with fans on her Twitter and her Facebook accounts.
What is not to like?:
There are a whole slew of new characters and sometimes it was difficult keeping track of who is who and how they are associated with other characters. A good character map would have helped.
The verdict:
First of all, try the brownies. They are fantastic. Enjoy a still warm brownie with a cup of coffee and this fun cozy mystery.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Razzle Dazzle Raspberry Brownies
Assemble the Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make a Mix!
When my daughter started baking, she would use this recipe to make homemade brownies. She always kept a bag of the mix in the pantry and made them any time she needed to bring something to a party.
What you see in the picture is for a double batch since I needed to fill a 9X13 pan.
The original recipe called to put this in a bag:
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1/2 Cup flour
- 1/3 Cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
When you need brownie, pour contents of bag into a bowl, add the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix by hand, spread into 8X8inch pan and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
For Razzle Dazzle Brownies,
Make a double batch of the above brownie recipe and put into a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan.
Spray the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the brownies according to the package directions.
Bake the brownies 2 minutes longer than it says on the package directions (27 min).
After the brownies have baked, let them cool on a cold stovetop burner or on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
After the brownies have cooled for 10 minutes, put the jam in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until it liquefies.
Pour the jam over the top of the brownies and quickly spread it out with a rubber spatula.
Refrigerate the brownies and jam glaze for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better. Overnight is fine, too.
Take the pan out of the refrigerator and place it on the counter close to the stovetop.
Make the 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 2 minutes.
Add the half-cup chocolate chips, stir them in, 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 glaze, 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 30 minutes before you attempt to cut and serve your Razzle Dazzle Brownies.
Razzle Dazzle Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Mix (the amounts below is for a double batch as needed by the recipe. Single batch measurements in the blog above)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
For the Glaze
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
For the Frosting
- 1 stick butter (½ cup of butter)
- 1 cup white (granulated) sugar
- ⅓ cup cream
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine dry ingredients of the brownie mix into a bowl, mix together
- Add eggs, oil, and vanilla.
- Mix until just combined, there may be some lumps
- Spray the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. Add the brownie batter.
- Bake for 27 minutes.
- After the brownies have baked, let them cool on a cold stovetop burner or on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- After the brownies have cooled for 10 minutes, put the jam in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until it liquefies.
- Pour the jam over the top of the brownies and quickly spread it out with a rubber spatula.
- Refrigerate the brownies and jam glaze for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better. Overnight is fine, too.
- Take the pan out of the refrigerator and place it on the counter close to the stovetop.
- 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 2 minutes.
- Add the half-cup chocolate chips, stir them in, 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 glaze, 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 30 minutes before you attempt to cut and serve your Razzle Dazzle Brownies.
What would I do differently next time?
This makes a large and rich pan of brownies, so I cut them small. If I didn’t need it for a party, I might make a half batch in an 8X8 inch pan.
More fabulous recipes from Joanne Fluke novels.
Minnesota Peach Cobbler from Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke
Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies from Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Rocky Road Bars from Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
Chocolate Mint Cookies from Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
