Happy Friday!
Hey ,the weeknd is almost here. It should be a beautiful weekend here in the Antelope Valley. I think one of the things I like so much about this area of So. Calif. is that the air is always so clear here. Even though we have the (mis)fotune of still being in the L.A. County boundries, we have the nicest air and weather.We never have smog. The San Gabriel Mountains to the south keep all the smoggy air trapped in the L.A. basin. Plus it is still so wide open up here. We can drive less than a mile east and we are in the "country" so to speak, except that it's wide open desert.
Anyway, enough ramblin' from me for now. Have a fantastic day!
Kent
Friday, October 2, 2009
Apricot Almond Bars with Chocolate
Pureed dried apricots form the base of these irresistible bars, providing both moisture and sweetness. (A touch of honey is all the additional sweetening needed.)
Chunks of dark chocolate make a nice contrast to the tangy apricots.
Ingredients
1 cup dried apricots, divided
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, (6 ounces) or semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2.Combine 1/2 cup dried apricots and water in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/2 cup apricots.
3.Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4.Puree the cooked apricots and any remaining cooking liquid in a food processor. Add egg, egg white, oil, honey and vanilla; process until smooth. Add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup chocolate and the chopped apricots; pulse just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with almonds.
5.Bake the bars until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let them cool in the pan on a wire rack.
6.Melt the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in the microwave on Medium for 30 to 60 seconds. Spoon the chocolate into a sealable plastic bag, cut off the tip of one corner and drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled bars. Let stand for about 10 minutes before cutting into bars.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
Per serving: 75 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 51 mg sodium; 6 mg potassium.
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat
Raspberry Bars
Tart raspberry filling is swirled into a low-fat cream filling in these beautiful bars. They're a festive treat for
for dessert or maybe a Sunday brunch also.
Ingredients:
Crust
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour , (see Note)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Filling
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons water
3 cups fresh raspberries, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Preparation
1.To prepare crust: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2.Place flour, pecans, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the nuts are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add ice water and vanilla and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to the prepared pan. Press evenly and firmly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
3.Bake the crust until it looks set, but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
4.To prepare raspberry filling: Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; let stand, stirring once or twice, while you prepare the rest of the filling.
5.Reserve 16 raspberries. Puree the remaining raspberries in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and stir in 1/2 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in the gelatin mixture and cook, stirring, until the gelatin is melted, about 1 minute.
6.Fill a large bowl with ice water. Pour the raspberry mixture into a medium bowl and set it in the bowl of ice water. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of loose jam and is beginning to set around the edges, about 30 minutes.
7.Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, milk and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
8.Spread the thickened raspberry filling evenly over the crust. Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the filling. Draw the tip of a sharp knife or skewer through the two fillings to create a swirled effect. Nestle the reserved berries into the filling, evenly spacing them so each bar will be topped with a berry when cut. Refrigerate until the bars are completely set, about 3 hours. Cut into 16 bars, one raspberry per bar.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat. Find it in the baking section of the supermarket or online at bobsredmill.com and kingarthurflour.com.
Nutrition
Per bar: 101 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 94 mg sodium; 64 mg potassium.
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (other), 1 fat
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