Raspberry Heart Brownies

Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, grease and set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir butter and chocolate until everything is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, and then the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Then sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until slightly puffed and dry-looking and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the raspberries, stirring frequently, until the raspberries are broken down into a very loose sauce. Pour the raspberry sauce through a strainer to remove the seeds. Then pour the raspberry juice back in the pot. Simmer until the juice reduces to ¼ cup. The juice will be very concentrated, deep red in color. Set aside to cool.

With a stand mixer, cream the butter with a paddle attachment on medium high speed about 2 minutes, until butter is lightened in color and a bit fluffy. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, the ¼ cup of cooled raspberry sauce, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add another 1-½ cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Remove brownies from pan. Press heart-shaped cookie cutters firmly into the cooled brownie. Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cookie cutter filled with brownie from the parchment. Gently press the brownie out of the cookie cutter. Repeat until all the brownie is used up.

Pipe or spoon the buttercream onto bottom side of one heart. Top with another brownie heart, gently pressing down to make a sandwich. Repeat until all your brownie hearts are completed.