Give Your Brownies Brighter Dimension With The Addition Of Fruity Jam

Brownies are a simple dessert that rarely need much primping. As consistently delicious as they are, they can still taste a little dense, so it doesn't hurt to spruce them up with ingredients you can probably find in your kitchen. To brighten up your brownies, add a touch of fruity jam.

Fruits and chocolate are already paired together in so many ways: in chocolate-covered strawberries, a healthy black forest smoothie, or chocolate bars filled with coconut flakes or raspberry in the center. With brownies and jam, the desserts contain a sumptuous surprise each time you bite into a piece and discover there's tart jam in there. The jam makes the brownies more moist and delivers a sweet, zesty flavor that brightens the richness of the dish. A perfect dessert for center brownie enthusiasts, the sweet technique ensures your brownies are always soft.

You can mix the jam into the brownie batter or spread on top prior to baking. For the latter option, add a few dollops of jam to the top or use a piping bag to swirl intricate designs on top of the brownies. Using jam works with plain brownies, nutty brownies, or brownies made from white chocolate, but it pairs especially well with the ones that aren't as sweet. Tasting Table's mocha brownies are made with unsweetened cocoa powder and espresso powder, so a fruity jam can replace the sugar the recipe calls for if you don't want your brownies to be saccharine.

Chocolate goes with practically any fruit imaginable, but strawberry jam is a given as the fruit is consistently eaten with chocolate. Store-bought jam works fine, but you can also spring for easy strawberry jam. Made with only four ingredients, the strawberry jam comes together quickly and brings a tart, juicy addition to your brownies.

If you desire something richer, however, vanilla blackberry jam is the best choice. When paired with dark chocolate brownies, the depth of each ingredient complements one another, especially with the touch of woodsy vanilla. Swirl the tart, dark jam into the batter and top it off with chopped blackberries and powdered sugar.

For more of that vanilla taste, white chocolate brownies taste like a light, buttery version of the spice. Give it a fresh, fruity zest with cranberry chia jam. Made with bright cranberries and maple syrup, the real flavor comes from the addition of fresh orange juice and zest. Stir the jam into the brownie batter and finish it off with more orange zest or slices of candied oranges.