Category: Bars

Kristina’s Kringle

Ingredients

Bar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

1-2 T water

Topping

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1 t almond extract

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2-4 T milk

1 t almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds sliced

Directions

OVEN 350º Parchment covered quarter cookie sheet or standard cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Bar

In medium bowl cut butter into flour using pastry cutter or forks. Add water by the tablespoon until dough comes together. Pat dough out in quarter cookie sheet or 8 by 16 inch rectangle using standard cookie sheet.

Topping

Add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter in sauce pan and bring to boil. Add 1 cup flour over low heat until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and add in eggs one at a time mixing  vigorously. Add in almond extract and combine. Spread on bar mixture. Bake for 50 – 60  minutes until golden brown. Cool and frost with glaze.

Glaze

In small bowl add cream cheese, powder sugar, almond extract, and 2 T milk. Beat until smooth with electric mixer. If too thick add additional milk. Drizzle on bars and sprinkle with almond slices. Cut and serve

Note: My Mom’s take to work treat. The nurses all liked it and asked her for seconds. My Grandmother gave this recipe to her. My Grandmother made this recipe for as long as I can remember. I have no idea where she got this recipe. I do not know who Kristina was?

 

 

 

Brown Sugar Bars with Meringue Salted Peanut Topping

A tasty blonde bar topped with a brown sugar meringue.

Ingredients

Bars

2 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup butter softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

3 egg yolks

1 T milk

1 t vanilla

Meringue

3 egg whites room temperature

1/2 cup baking sugar(super fine)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanuts

Directions

Oven 325º  13″ by 9″ pan buttered Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl and set aside.Cream butter and sugars and blend in the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and combine. Spread evenly in  buttered baking pan.

Pour egg whites into stainless steel or glass bowl and beat slowly for a minute. Then increase speed to high until soft peaks form. Add superfine sugar while beating in fourths. Then sprinkle the brown sugar like snow over the meringue mixture until stiff and glossy peaks form. Gently fold in peanuts and spread over the bar mixture with a spatula. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Note: We serve these all the time at parties. If peanuts are a known problem the meringue can be made without the peanuts. I am considering toffee chips as a peanut replacement. Have not done it yet.

 

My Grandmother’s Date Bars

Ingredients

3 cups dates

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 cup walnuts chopped- optional

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/8 t cloves

1/2 t salt

Directions

Oven 350º  8×8 buttered baking panned

Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda,spices, and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

Add dates,water, and sugar over medium heat. Stirring constantly until mixture thick and begins to bubble. Cool and add walnuts if desired.

Gradually using fingers blend in the butter until all the ingredients are totally combined.

Place half of crumb mixture on bottom of pan and press until firm. Pour  in date mixture and spread. Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture and press down gently.

Bake 40-45 minutes for 8×8 pan and 25-30 minutes in 13×9.  Cool, run knife around edges of pan and then cut into bars.