Just in time for Valentine's Day..

What would winter be like without chocolate?  Or spring, summer or fall?  We'll be serving these Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars at the inn all month. The recipe first appeared in the1995 edition of Food and Wine.  We hope you enjoy them here....or at home!

Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars

1/2 cup heavy cream1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped1 3/4 cup flour

1/4 t salt2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature1 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar2 eggs, room temperature1 1/2 t vanilla

1)      Boil the cream over medium heat.  In a food processor, finely grind the chocolate.  With the machine on, add the hot cream and process until smooth. Scrape the ganache into a bowl and let stand until firm, 30 minutes to an hour.

2)      Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly butter a 10 by 15 inch baking pan.  Line the pan with wax paper; butter and flour the paper.

3)      Whisk the flour with the salt.  In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed for three minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla. At low speed beat in the flour in three additions; the batter will be fairly stiff.  Spread the batter in the pan.  Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

4)      Cover the baking pan with a large wire rack and invert.  Remove the pan and peel off the wax paper.  Invert the cake onto a large cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, halve the cake crosswise.  Spread the ganache evenly over one f the cake halves, leaving a ¼ inch border.  Top with the other cake half.  Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set – at least two hours. 

5)      Cut into bars.