In a jam?

If you do find yourself searching for something sweet, hearty and easy to whip up, look no further than these jam bars. There's a little baking company in San Francisco that I'm working far, and before I ended up on their payroll I was smitten with all - but especially one - of their treats and tried to recreate it at home. While it wasn't exact, the bars came out even better than I expected, and definitely joined my go-to baking repertoire.

The beauty of these jam bars is that you can make them with whatever jam or preserves you choose! I'm a blackberry fan myself, but you could go with apricot, peach, raspberry or strawberry (shown in these photos). Perfect for any and every time of day or season, jam bars are exactly the way to start your fall baking!

Jam Bars
Yields one 8"square or circular pan


Oatmeal cookie base:
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 C old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract


1 C jam or preserves


Streusel:
3 Tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/4 C flour
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C old fashioned rolled oats


Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking pan (circular or square) with nonstick spray. Combine flour, oats, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy (several minutes). Add in egg and almond extract and beat to combine. Slowly add in dry ingredients, mixing on medium-low until just combined. Press dough into pan until it is an even thickness to all edges. 


For streusel topping, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulsed until they form a coarse mixture with no butter pieces larger than a pea (or cut in butter with a pastry cutter). 


Spread on jam, making about a 1/4 inch thick layer (more if desired, but it gets messy!). Sprinkle streusel topping copiously over jam layer. 


Bake for 30-40 min, until the bars are set and don't jiggle in the middle when you slide the pan around. If the jam around the edges of the bars start to overcook (it will definitely be bubbling), cover with foil until set. I had to check these pretty frequently to avoid overcooking, so I would recommend testing for doneness every 5 minutes or so after 20 minutes.


Let cool completely in pan, then cut and serve!

Layers

I've always loved the creative potential of layered bar cookies, and have previously experimented with different combinations of flavors, textures and colors with very delicious results. When I saw Trader Joe's new cranberry apple butter the other day, along with the first appearance of fresh cranberries in the produce aisle, the wheels in my head started turning and I knew it was only a matter of time before I was pulling a cranberry layer bar out of the oven! 


I decided to go with a classic shortbread crust for the bottom layer, and then a simple ribbon of cranberry apple butter in the center. Through some negotiation with my cupboard, the top layer became a fudgy but very light white chocolate-cranberry blondie. I had some doubts about the finished product, but it is hands-down the best thing I've made in months. If you're looking for a wintery dessert full of tart flavor balanced by white chocolate sweetness, don't miss this one :)


Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
1. Make shortbread dough, press into 8" square pan (prepared with parchment or nonstick spray) and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is slightly browned on the edges.
2. Spread a substantial layer of Trader Joe's cranberry apple butter on top of the shortbread (it will take almost the whole jar).
3. Spread the blondie batter on top, stretching to cover the entire top surface. 
4. Spread fresh or frozen cranberries on very top, press down slightly to set them.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, or until the top layer has puffed up, is slightly browned and the center is set.


Whole Wheat Shortbread
Adapted from Cate's World Kitchen

1 C whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten


Directions: Toss the sugars, salt, and flour together in a medium bowl. Use a pastry cutter or forks to blend in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir the egg yolk in and mix with a fork just until combined (the dough will be crumbly), then press into the prepared pan. 


White Chocolate Blondies
Adapted from Everything Nice


1/4 C butter
3/4 C white chocolate chips
1/2 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

Directions: Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in white chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the eggs until combined, then add in dry ingredients and the white chocolate mixture. Mix until just combined.

Late night inspiration

There were a few days there when I was having a lot of trouble staying asleep. For some reason, I started waking up around 2am - and I think everyone can agree that at 2am your body is hungry... In one of these instances I started brainstorming something that would be wonderfully decadent and incorporate the bananas we had sitting on our countertop. The result was kind of a hodgepodge of different recipes and ideas and I think it was entirely successful!
If you don't like chocolate, bananas or peanut butter, this is not the dessert for you. But if you love a crisp peanut butter cookie crust with a soft, chocolate banana filling on top of more peanut butter cookie, this is what you've been waiting for.

For this recipe, make the dough/mixture for the three layers first and then follow the instructions at the end. It's easier when everything's laid out in front of you! 


Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bars

Peanut butter cookie layer
From Joy the Baker 
 1/2 C butter, softened
3/4 C peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1/3 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
3/4 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 

Directions: Cream butter, sugars and peanut butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Beat in milk, egg and vanilla. Sift together the flours, baking soda and salt, then gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

Chocolate banana layer 
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 C chocolate chips or chopped chocolate 

Directions: Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add mashed bananas and blend well. Gradually beat in flour, baking soda and salt mixture, then chocolate. 

Dark chocolate ganache layer
Melt 1/4 C butter and 1/4 C chopped dark chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir and repeat until mixture is liquid and well-blended. 

Assembling and baking the bar
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and nonstick spray an 8x8 baking pan.
2. Spread half of the peanut butter layer into the bottom of the pan, using your fingers to make an even layer that covers the entire surface.
3. Pour chocolate ganache on top of peanut butter layer, using spoon to spread it evenly. The recipe makes a lot so add ganache to taste - you probably won't use it all.
4. Spread banana chocolate layer on top of ganache, spreading it using your fingers and making sure not to stir up too much of the ganache layer
5. Because the peanut butter dough doesn't spread easily, crumble the remaining dough on top of the last layer, trying to evenly cover the surface. It will spread a little bit, and also allow some of the other layers to peek through (pretty!).
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the mixture is set when you slide the pan back and forth. Let cool completely - the middle will be a little soft. These are actually best eaten the day after, so you'll have to at least let a few pieces last till the next day!   
 

You CAN send love in the mail!

It's tough being caught between two places. I spent the first 18 years of my life in the peaceful village of Los Altos (I still get annoyed that we're a "village"), but the last 3 in San Diego have been incredible and I feel just as much at home there as I do in little LA. Of course one of the things I miss the most about being in either place are the friends I've left in the other - and what better way to send a little love than with baked goods? 

My former roommate Elise's favorite thing is white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and I unfortunately never made them for her while we were living together. BUT it's never too late, and I found these amazing blondies that I knew I had to send to her immediately! Who says you can't buy (or make) love? 
Once again, I subbed in some whole wheat flour, and you can decide whether you want more or less in your own. I just like having that feeling that I'm at least trying to be healther... right?



White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Blondies
From Crepes of Wrath

1/2 pound (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
3 C all-purpose flour (or 2 C all-purpose and 1 C whole wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 C white chocolate chips
1 C macadamia nuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream brown sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, then add eggs, vanilla and almond extracts. Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Stir in white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Spread batter into a square baking pan prepared with nonstick baking spray and bake for 30-35 minutes (until completely set and golden brown). Let cool completely and cut into squares.

When life gives you peanut butter...

It turns out that I bought wayy too much peanut butter and jelly for the cupcakes I made a couple of days ago, so when I was looking for something to make tonight I was drawn to this recipe for obvious reasons. I can't just let those ingredients waste away in the fridge now, can I? 
I also had some mini white chocolate chips in the cupboard and decided that it would be an interesting experiment in taste combinations to throw them in with the jam and see what happened. The result was kind of awesome. These bars are super easy and SUPER yummy, and definitely captures the essence of PB&J.
 

PB&J Bars
Adapted from Ina Garten
Yields 16 bars

1/2 C butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C natural peanut butter (smooth or chunky, I know this is a touchy subject)
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C jam
1/2 C white chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and peanut butter and mix until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl whisk together flours, soda and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients. Nonstick spray an 8×8 baking dish and put in two thirds of the batter, distribute evenly (I used my fingers). Spread jam on top of batter, sprinkle with white chocolate chips. Dollop remaining batter on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.