Chocolate Raspberry Bars

* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

Recipe By : <Pperkins@cris.com>
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
Filling:
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam (works with preserv
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp Milk
1 cup vanilla-flavored chips, melted (6 oz)
Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (DON'T vary from
the semisweet!)
2 Tbsp shortening
Raspberry Sauce:
10 oz frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
1 tsp cornstarch


In a bowl, combine flour and confectioners' sugar; cut in butter until
crumbly. Press into an ungreased 9" square baking pan. Bake at 375
degrees for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Spread jam over warm
crust. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth.
Add melted vanilla chips; beat until smooth. Spread carefully over jam
layer. Cool completely. Chill until set, about 1 hour. For glaze,
melt chocolate chips and shortening; spread over filling. Chill for 10
minutes. Cut into bars; chill another hour. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 3 dozen

NOW, what I did was make this same recipe, but cut the pieces larger,
and then touched them up by drizzling them with raspberry sauce, topping
each with a small dollop of whipped cream, and placing a chocolate
filigree on the top (directions for each to follow here). I also made
sure I set this out of the refrig at least 1/2 hour before serving so
that no one would break their forks on the semisweet chocolate glaze
(G).

Raspberry Sauce:
Drain raspberries, reserving the liquid in a medium saucepan. Stir in
cornstarch; blend well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat; cool. Stir in raspberries. Refrigerate
until chilled.


Chocolate Filigrees

Draw desired 1 1/2" design on a square of white paper. Place the
pattern on a cookie sheet; lay a square of waxed paper (cut one for each
filigree) over the pattern. Place 2-3- Tbsp of chocolate chips in a
small resealable plastic bag. Seat the bag tightly and place it in a
bowl of hot water until the chips are melted. Wipe the bag, and cut off
a tiny corner to create a small opening.

Pipe the chocolate onto the waxed paper, traced the patter. (Chocolate
lines should be about 1/4" wide.) Carefully slip out the pattern piece.
Make additional filigrees on separate squares of waxed paper.
Refrigerate them for 30 minutes or until you're ready to garnish the
dessert. Carefully peel off the waxed paper; place one filigree on each
dessert square.

(I realize this sounds like quite a pain in the neck to do, but the
results were quite impressive if you want to take that 'extra step';
Just find a good movie on TV, grab that zip-lock bag, and go for it!
DON'T try to do more than 2-3 Tbsp of chips at a time --- they will
begin to harden back up on you before you are finished, and you'll have
to waste them --- trust me here; I tried it.)







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