Valentine’s Day is a day for love, romance and giving. The best gifts for a loved one are chocolates and fruits; so why not give them both.

The ingredients for the fudge brownie are:

• ½ C (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 8 ounces coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate

• 1 ¼ C granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ¾ C all purpose flour (spoon and leveled)

• ¼ tsp salt

The ingredients for the raspberry cheesecake layer are:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

• ¼ C granulated sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• ¼ C raspberry jam or raspberry preserves

• Raspberries for topping: optional

Instructions:

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat to 350°F.

2. Line the bottom and sides of an 11x7 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides; set aside

3. Set out cream cheese to soften while preparing the brownies

4. Make the brownies first: melt butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.

5. Stir sugar in the chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk the eggs one at a time until smooth in texture after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla.

6. Mix the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. After doing so, gently fold them into the chocolate mixture.

7. Pour batter into the prepared pan, saving ¼ C of the batter for later.

8. Make the cheesecake: using a hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and raspberry jam until completely smooth. If the color isn’t pink enough, add a bit of red food coloring (2-3 drops).

9. Dollop spoonful's of cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie batter. Drizzle the remaining brownie batter on top of the cheesecake. Glide a knife into the layers to create a swirl pattern.

10. Bake the brownies for 35-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Mine took about an hour, but results can vary depending on the oven. Cover the top of the brownies with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to avoid browning.

11. Allow the brownies to cool completely, at least 4 hours.

12. Cut raspberries in half and place them on the brownies; two halves per brownie slice.

This recipe is great to give to a loved one, or to just give to yourself because everyone deserves self love; even if it’s covered in chocolate and sugar.