For buttercream icing

1 (heaping) cup fresh raspberries

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

2¾ to 3 cups powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered dusting

Heat

Melt butter in saucepan with chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few oven sugar, for minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour and salt. Add to the chocolate-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.

Pour into a greased 9-by13-inch pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut 12 brownies with a heartshaped cookie cutter. (Reserve scraps for snacking.)

Make icing: Puree raspberries and then run it through a sieve to remove the seeds. You should end up with about ½ cup of raspberry puree.

Place softened butter and powdered sugar in mixer. Cream together on low speed until they are completely combined. Continue to beat on medium speed until frosting is creamy.

Add ½ cup of raspberry puree, milk or cream and vanilla extract, and mix to combine. If frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until frosting is of desired consistency. If frosting is too thick/dry, add a little bit more milk.

Spread Makes

I filled these wonton wrapper raviolis with lobster, shrimp and mascarpone cheese, but you also could stuff them with ricotta and spinach, or a mix of ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, or simply sausage. Be sure not to overcook the ravioli, and remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon instead of dumping them into a strainer — they could both result in a leaking ravioli. Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Handful fresh parsley or basil, chopped

to 325 degrees. a thick layer of frosting on half of the brownies. Top each with remaining brownies and gently press together. Dust tops with powdered sugar. 6 brownie hearts. Don’t be afraid of making empanada dough from scratch. It’s easier to...