Cooking Index - Cooking Recipes & IdeasDouble-Cherry Streusel Bars Recipe - Cooking Index

Double-Cherry Streusel Bars

Courses: Dessert

Recipe Ingredients

  Filling
1 cup 62g / 2.2ozDried Bing (sweet) cherries - (abt 6 oz)
1 cup 62g / 2.2ozTart red cherry preserves - (abt 11 oz)
  = (such as Tropical or Smuckers)
1 tablespoon 15mlKirsch
  = (clear cherry brandy)
  Dough and Streusel
  Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups 125g / 4.4ozAll-purpose flour
2/3 cup 131g / 4.6ozSugar
1/2 teaspoon 2.5mlGround cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon 1.3mlSalt
3/4 cup 148g / 5.2ozChilled unsalted butter - (1 1/2 sticks) - cut 1/2" cubes
1 3/4 teaspoons 8.8mlVanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon 1.3mlAlmond extract
3 tablespoons 45mlWhole milk
1 cup 93g / 3.3ozSweetened flaked coconut - (packed) - abt 3 oz
3/4 cup 69g / 2.4ozSliced almonds - (abt 3 oz)

Recipe Instructions

For Filling: Combine dried cherries, tart cherry preserves, and kirsch in processor; blend to chunky puree. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate.)

For Dough And Streusel: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving overhang. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture comes together in small clumps. Transfer 1 cup (packed) mixture to medium bowl and reserve for streusel. Blend remaining mixture in processor until large moist clumps form. Gather dough together in large ball.

Press dough over bottom of prepared baking pan; pierce all over with fork. Bake dough until golden, about 22 minutes; cool crust 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Add sweetened coconut flakes and sliced almonds to reserved 1 cup dough. Mix dough with fork, breaking streusel topping into small clumps.

Spread cherry filling over baked crust. Sprinkle streusel topping over. Bake cookie until cherry filling is bubbling and streusel topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on rack. Using foil overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan. Peel off foil and discard. Cut cookie lengthwise into thirds, then cut crosswise into eighths, forming total of 24 bars. (Bars can be made 2 days ahead. Store bars in airtight container and refrigerate.)

This recipe yields 24 bars.

Description:

"What makes these moist bars double cherry? They are flavored with both tart cherry preserves and sweet dried cherries."

Source:
Bon Appetit, December 2002

Rating

Average rating:

Unrated, please add a rating

Submit your rating:

Click a star to rate this recipe.