Dried Cherry Chocolate Strudel Bars Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY STRUDEL

Steps:

• Microwave: To prepare filling, combine first liquor, water and sugar in a medium bowl. Microwave at High 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring after 45 seconds. Stir in dried cherries and ginger, cover with plastic wrap and microwave an additional 3 minutes on HIGH. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow fruit to absorb the liquid. Spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• Stovetop: In a small saucepan, combine liquor, water and sugar and heat until sugar crystals dissolve. Add dried cherries and ginger to the pan and cook until cherries absorb most of the liquid and plump (approximately 5-10 minutes with low heat). Spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• To assemble the strudel, 1/4 cup chips into the cherries.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, covering remaining dough to keep from drying. Lightly coat with butter-flavored cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, repeat this process with the 7 remaining phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
• Spoon filling along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of apricot mixture on each end. Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Do not roll tightly, or the strudel may split.
• Place strudel, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Score 7 diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. Lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Place 1/4 cup chips in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Submerge bag in very hot water until chips melt. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over the baked strudel.

WALNUT AND DRIED CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries and walnuts.
• Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
• clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Put the preserves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4 by1 1/2 inches each.

DRIED CHERRY-CHOCOLATE STRUDEL BARS

Steps:

• Using on/off turns, blend first 3 ingredients in processor until coarse meal forms. Add sour cream and process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each dough piece into thin rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 14x12-inch rectangle. Leaving 1-inch plain border at 1 long side, spread with 3/4 cup cherry jam, then sprinkle with 1 cup almonds, 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Starting opposite plain end, roll up dough jelly-roll style, enclosing filling. Push in ends to compress log to 12-inch length; seal ends. Transfer strudel, seam side down, to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, spacing strudels evenly apart on baking sheet.
• Bake strudels until golden, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Slide spatula under hot strudels to loosen from sheet. Cool completely on sheet. Cut strudels crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick bars. (Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.)

CHEWY CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and butter. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. In a large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients until blended; carefully spread over crust., Bake 25-28 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

DOUBLE-CHERRY STREUSEL BARS

Steps:

• 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°F. Line 13x9x2-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.)

DOUBLE CHERRY STREUSEL BARS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring water to boiling.
• Remove from heat.
• Add dried cherries and let stand for 10 minutes or until softened.
• Drain and set aside.
• For crust, in a large mixing bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
• Stir the almonds into the reserved crumb mixture; set aside.
• Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for filling, stir together the drained cherries, cherry preserves, and lemon peel.
• Spread the filling evenly over baked crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until top is golden brown.
• Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• In a small saucepan combine the chocolate pieces and shortening; heat over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted.
• Drizzle melted chocolate mixture over baked bars.
• Cut into bars.

SOUR-CHERRY CRUMBLE BARS

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter parchment.
• Beat butter with sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low, add flour and salt, and beat until dough forms clumps but does not completely hold together. Press 2 1/2 cups flour mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan.
• Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together cherries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and salt. Pour into crust. Crumble remaining flour mixture (about 1/2 cup) evenly over top, squeezing to create clumps.
• Bake until bubbling in center and crust is golden, about 1 hour, 10 minutes (if browning too quickly, tent top with foil). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 20 minutes before slicing into squares.