Cooking With Rania: Cranberry Bliss Bars
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, continues to prep for the holidays! This recipe for the perfect Christmas-themed treat.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
For the Bars:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
¾ cup Craisins
For the Frosting and Topping:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon orange extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup Craisins, roughly chopped
2 squares baking chocolate or almond bark, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15x10 or 13x9 inch jelly roll pan or rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Beat together melted butter and brown sugar over medium speed with an electric mixer. Add in eggs, 1 teaspoon orange extract, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until mixed well. Add in ground ginger, baking powder, salt, and flour, beating until just blended. Don't overmix.
Stir in white chocolate chips and Craisins by hand. Spread evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until set and golden brown at the edges. Don't over-bake or bars will be hard. Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool. Allow bars to cool completely before topping with frosting.
To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add ½ teaspoon orange extract and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well. Top cooled bars with frosting. Sprinkle with chopped Craisins and drizzle white chocolate over the top with a fork. You can dip a fork into the chocolate then shake it gently over the top of the bars to create little streaks. You can either slice right away and enjoy, or place the bars in the refrigerator for about an hour to help them set up before cutting. Cut in triangles and serve.
