Cherry Almond Bars Recipes

CHEWY CHERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease foil; set pan aside.
• In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour, the oats, and almonds.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the dough and set aside. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble the remaining dough evenly over preserves layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut cookies out of the pan. Cut into bars. Makes 36 bars.

CHERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch square pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, vanilla and almond extract. Then, using a pastry cutter or fork, blend the cold butter and egg mixture in with your dry ingredients.
• Press 2/3s to 3/4s of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
• Toss your cherries with the granulated sugar, cornstarch and water. Then sprinkle evenly over the base layer, then crumble the remaining dough over the cherries. Optionally, sprinkle additional tablespoon of sugar on top of your bars.
• Bake in your pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes. The top crumbs should be just lightly browning.
• Allow to cool completely, then cut into 9 large squares or 16 bite-sized.

CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Gradually add flour., Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack., In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.

ALMOND CHERRY PEPITA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment or waxed paper leaving a 4-inch overhang on two opposite sides and spray the paper with cooking spray.
• Put 1 cup of the rice cereal in a resealable plastic bag and crush to a fine powder with the back of the measuring cup. Combine the remaining 1 cup rice cereal, pepitas, almonds and cherries in a large bowl. Heat the rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan until warm and bubbling and remove from heat. Stir in the almond extract and salt, and pour into the nut mixture. Fold with a spatula until it is everything is moistened and well combined. Add the crushed rice cereal and continue to fold until evenly incorporated.
• Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into the prepared pan using the overhanging pieces of parchment to prevent sticking. Bake until beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack, then press again to compact the mixture. Chill until firm but not completely set , about 45 minutes. Remove the block by the paper handles and invert onto a cutting board. Gently peel off the paper. Cut the block in half, then cut each half into 6 bars for 12 total. Refrigerate until fully set.
• Store the bars individually wrapped or layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The bars will soften up and become chewy as they come to room temperature.

CHERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with oil.
• In a bowl, using a fork, stir flour with 1/2 cup icing sugar; using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 1 cup of butter until coarse crumbs form.
• OR.
• Whirl flour with icing sugar in food processor until mixed. Add butter, pulse until coarse crumbs form.
• Press mixture over bottom of baking dish.
• Bake in centre of oven until light golden around the edges, 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, put beaten eggs then stir in brown sugar.
• Gradually stir in flour mixture, then add almonds and cherries.
• Spread over warm base.
• Bake in centre of oven until filling is set, 25 - 30 minutes.
• To prepare topping - in a small bowl, using an electric beater, beat cherry juice with 3 tblsp butter and almond extract.
• Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until fluffy.
• Cover and set aside. Cool bars, then spread icing evenly over top.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.
• Store in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
• Note: if you use the cherry juice for the frosting it will be a nice pink colour!