Chocolate-Raspberry Bars : Baking Partners Challenge May 2014

After a very long time(a year),I must say that just started baking for baking partners again.I loved this group always as I love baking and I missed each of the earlier posts too.Swathi @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen started this and as a team the members have learnt new ways,techniques and improved the baking skills.This month the recipe was suggested by Suja @ Kitchen Corner-Try It.There were three recipes in all-lemon bars,chocolate raspberry bars and a vegan bar too.I opted the chocolate-raspberry one obvious that kids love chocolates and sweet.Though the lemony ones looked fancy and bright.I followed the recipe word to word,didn't change anything.Thanx Suja and Swathi for selecting this wonderful bars,kids loved it a lot.Do give this a try and enjoy making your own bars at home !!!

Recipe source :The Secrets of Baking, Sherry Yard and The Good Cookie by Tish Boyl

Ingredients
for dough
walnuts 1cup
all purpose flour 1 3/4 cup
sugar 1/2 cup
salt 1/4 tsp
lemon zest 2tsp
vanilla extract  2tsp
chilled butter 2 sticks or 1 cup
egg yolks 3

for topping
walnuts 1/4 cup
all purposeflour 1/4 cup
sugar 2tbsp

for filling
chocolate chunks 6 oz
seedless ,raspberry jam 1/2 cup

Method 
-TO MAKE THE WALNUT COOKIE DOUGH
Finely process walnuts in a blender or food processor.Keep aside.
Combine egg yolk,vanilla , chopped chilled butter,sugar salt and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse 10-12 times until combined.
Add in the flour ,processed nuts and continue to pulse the blender until the dough becomes sticky crumbs and not as a ball.Put together as a ball,cover with a plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F and remove thedough from refrigerator,cut out 1/4 of the dough and replace this 1/4 back in fridge.Pat the remaining 3/4th dough in a unbuttered 13*9 " pan evenly with hands or spatula.

-FILLING
Stir preserve using a spatula or spoon and gently spread over the patted dough.(see pics)
Chop the chocolate in chunks and spread over the preserve.

-TOPPING
Cut the remaining 1/4 dough in small pieces.Add with the ingredients listed under topping and pulse in a food processor till it resembles a crumbly mixture.
Spread this evenly over the chocolate and jam preserve.


-BAKING
Place it in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the crumbles are crisp and light brown.
Cool over a wire rack until leuk warm.Using a sharp knofe cut in slices.
Enjoy or store in air tight containers upto 3 days.

Serves ~16 square pieces

NOTES
* You can use any other choice fruit topping instead of raspberry.
* I feel you can reduce the amount of dough used for making crumble topping to less than 1/4th dough as mine was fully covered with crumbs and so couldn't make out the topping at one glance unless you see the sides.
 

 

An InLinkz Link-up