Description
Indulgent cherry bars deliver a symphony of sweet-tart flavors that dance across your palate with Mediterranean charm. Summer’s ripest cherries meld seamlessly with buttery pastry, promising a delightful dessert that beckons you to savor each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups oat flakes
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup cherry spread (preferably Double Fruit type)
Binding Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) softened butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Leavening Agents:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
- Warm the kitchen oven to 350°F, coating a 13″ x 9″ baking vessel with light butter to prevent sticking.
- Utilize an electric mixer to whip softened butter and brown sugar until the texture becomes airy and pale, approximately 3-5 minutes of continuous blending.
- Introduce the egg and vanilla extract gradually, mixing thoroughly to create a seamless, uniform batter.
- In a separate mixing container, blend whole wheat and unbleached white flour with baking powder, forming a dry ingredient mixture.
- Gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, using low-speed mixing to maintain a delicate texture.
- Fold oat flakes into the mixture using a wooden spoon, ensuring even distribution throughout the dough.
- Separate and reserve half a cup of the oat mixture for later topping, then press the remaining dough firmly into the prepared baking pan, creating an even base layer.
- Carefully spread cherry spread across the entire surface of the pressed crust, ensuring complete and uniform coverage.
- Scatter the reserved oat mixture over the cherry layer, creating a rustic, crumbly topping.
- Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes, monitoring until the surface turns a golden brown hue.
- Remove from the oven and position on a wire cooling rack, allowing the bars to reach room temperature completely.
- Once cooled, slice into square or rectangular portions, perfect for enjoying as a sweet treat or pairing with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Notes
- Achieve a perfectly even crust by using the back of a measuring cup or flat spatula to press the oat mixture firmly and uniformly into the baking pan.
- Customize the recipe by swapping cherry spread with other fruit preserves like apricot, raspberry, or blueberry for diverse flavor variations.
- Ensure bars stay moist by not overbaking; golden brown edges indicate the perfect doneness without drying out the dessert.
- Make the recipe gluten-free by substituting whole wheat and white flour with a gluten-free flour blend and using certified gluten-free oats.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 97 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg