Chocolate Cranberry Bars

Chocolate Cranberry Bars

We were invited to a Super Bowl party this past Sunday.  As one of my New Year's Resolution, it only made sense to pick something that I had pinned on my Pinterest boards.  I came across a Cranberry Bliss Bar recipe, but I only had bittersweet and semisweet chocolate.  So I decided to give the recipe a semisweet chocolate twist.  I had never had a Cranberry Bliss Bar from Starbucks, and I am not much of a white chocolate fan, but I suspect I might like them!  I really liked how these turned out.  Without frosting, that would be a lovely breakfast treat.  The recipe included for the icing, I felt was too much icing.  Maybe if the icing recipe was reduced by 1/4 to 1/3, it would be better for me.  I liked the richness of the cream cheese, sweetness and firm bite of the cookie combined with the tartness of the cranberries.  I would definitely make this again, perhaps with the original white chocolate, or maybe with a bittersweet variation.

The original recipe did not indicate how many pieces it makes, but I cut mine into 24 triangles, but maybe 36 bars would be better considering that this is a very rich dessert.

Bars:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

• Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line 13x9" baking pan with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Add butter to microwave safe bowl; microwave until melted.  Whisk in sugar until completely incorporated.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• When butter mixture is cool, whisk in eggs until well combined and then vanilla.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually; beating on low speed just until combined.  Batter will be thick.  Gently stir in cranberries and chocolate.
• Transfer dough to prepared pan; press into pan evenly.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean from the center.  Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool completely.

Frosting:
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

• Microwave chocolate in small glass bowl for 30 second rounds at medium speed; stirring between each until chocolate is melted and smooth; let cool slightly. 
• Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in mixing bowl; mix with hand mixer until well combined.  Beat in half of chocolate just until incorporated.
• Spread frosting in an even layer over bars with a spatula.  Sprinkle cranberries over frosting and drizzle with remaining chocolate.  Let frosting set.  Cut into squares or triangles for serving.  Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.