Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Bars

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Bars

After making these Raspberry Streusel Dessert Bars back in April and then making them at least 3-4 times since, I kept thinking about chocolate (surprise!).  After making some homemade strawberry jam a few weeks ago, it came to me that these bars would be so good made with chocolate and strawberry jam—like a chocolate covered strawberry in dessert bar form.  So I set out to see what I could come up with.  And I love it when something turns out great on the first try!

I just made these yesterday after taking a Facebook friends poll over which kind of chocolate people prefer on chocolate covered strawberries.  Dark, semi-sweet or milk?  Then I started having some say their favorite is white chocolate on strawberries—okay, I’ll have to try another bar, but for now, for these bars, I went with semi-sweet.  They are sure easy to make and certainly taste like chocolate and strawberries.  I call it a win!

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Bars, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

2 cups (240 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (40 grams) natural cocoa powder

2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup strawberry jam (homemade is best!)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ganache:

3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons strawberry jam

3 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch baking pan with non-stick foil.  Spray lightly with cooking spray.  In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt.  Pulse to combine.  Add the vanilla and pieces of butter.  Pulse until it is all combined and resembles coarse, wet sand.  Put about 2/3 of the mixture into the baking pan and spread evenly, pressing down slightly.  Spread the strawberry jam over the bottom crust.  Then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the jam.  Finish with sprinkling the remaining crumb mixture over the top and press down slightly.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit until cool.

Remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging edges of the foil.  Cut into 16 bars.

Make the ganache.  Put the chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl.  Put the jam and cream in a glass measuring cup or bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds, just as it begins to bubble up (watch that it doesn’t bubble over, could do in 15 second intervals if you’re worried).  Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate chips and let sit for a minute.  Stir the now melted chocolate and strawberry cream together until smooth.  Let the ganache sit for 20-30 minutes so it thickens slightly.  Put the ganache into a zip top plastic bag, then snip the corner off and drizzle over the bars.  Let sit until somewhat hardened on the bars.

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Bars

These would be good and pretty with a fresh slice of strawberry on the tops of each, but I didn’t have any fresh strawberries at the time. 

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Bars

13 comments:

megan said...

Now that strawberry season is upon us, you know I'll be making these!

Unknown said...

Yuuuummmm!!! These sound sooooo good. I can't wait to try out this recipe. My hubby would love them with raspberry and white chocolate too! Thanks for sharing! :)

Katrina said...

Erin, the original recipe I linked at the beginning are raspberry bars, but with no white chocolate, which would be really good. Great recipe though, has a little kick of almond extract that is perfect for raspberry. ;)

Katrina said...

megan, yay! ;)

Nancy @ gottagetbaked said...

Katrina, these bars look so dark, rich 'n decadent - exactly what a good dessert should be! You can't go wrong with any type of chocolate combined with strawberries but I'm glad you went with something darker as opposed to white. Yum!

Cindy said...

What a great combination of flavors Katrina. I must make this soom!

Lisa Ernst said...

These look oh so good! I was in Jacksonville a few weeks ago and went to the Saturday local artisan fair and found some gluten free vegan chocolate strawberry cookies. They were just baked, like brownies and fabulous. No tag on the wrapper so I don't know the company name. :-( Ever since I keep thinking about the combo of chocolate and strawberries and along comes your post.

sj said...

this looks amazing! I love strawberry with chocolate :)

vanillasugarblog said...

you I recently started baking with dark cocoa powder and I much prefer that over the regular.
so these would be great with that and some raspberries!

Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! said...

Great idea! Chocolate and strawberry are a classic combo of flavors. Genius idea to put them together in a bar! :)

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Chocolate and strawberry is a great combination. So yummy looking!

Amy said...

Chocolate covered strawberries in dessert bars form sounds yummy. :) These are a lot more convenience to transfer too. So,I say they make the best thing to bring as potluck items to share.

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