(Berry Bar Cookies)

Adapted from Joanne Fluke’s “Red Velvet Cupcake Murder,” Pg. 118

 

SHORTBREAD CRUST:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup cold salted butter

Optional: chopped pecans or nuts

 

BERRY FILLING:

3 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

 

BERRY GLAZE:

1/4 cup strawberry or raspberry jam

 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cream

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

SHORTBREAD CRUST:

Combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until the resulting mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Spread out and pat down in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.  Place in cold oven and then bake at 325 degrees F. for 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

While crust is baking, prepare the berry filling.

 

BERRY FILLING:

Mix eggs and white sugar until fluffy.

Beat the jam into the egg and sugar mixture.

Add the salt and baking powder. Mix them in thoroughly.

Mix in the flour and beat until everything is combined.

The filling will be runny.

Remove crust from the oven when the 15-minute baking time has concluded.

Pour the filling over the top. (Optional: I might try adding some chopped pecans.)

Bake at 325°F for another 25 minutes.

Let them cool for about 30 minutes.

September 2024
(This is a multi-layer cookie recipe, however, when I made them for Sunday dinner, I started late and didn’t have time to let them refrigerate and add all the other toppings, refrigerating them in between.  So, at this point, I didn’t make the rest of the toppings; I just let them cool and cut them into squares. Everyone said they were VERY rich and tasted like caramel covered shortbread cookies.)

 

THIN BERRY GLAZE TOPPING:

Heat the jam in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it until it’s smooth.
Using a pastry brush, brush the melted jam over the top of the bar cookies. This very thin layer of jam will be the glaze.
Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that the jam will cool and solidify.

 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

Bring the butter, sugar, and cream to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer for exactly 2 minutes.

Stir in chocolate chips until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the frosting evenly over the cookie bars.

Return to the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Cut into brownie-sized pieces.