Thursday, June 14, 2012

Chewy Chocolate Almond Bars

This is a delightful chocolate almond bars, great for snacking. Made this for my nieces and nephew last week. These are made with simple ingredients that I'm sure are already in your pantry. Well, except maybe for the corn syrup, which is not an ingredient that is used in most bakes. 


One of the things I like about baking bars, slices or squares is that they are quick to make and quick to disappear! :)


I lined the baking pan with aluminium foil with two opposite sides overhang for easy removal. From my past experiences with bars and slices, it is always best to line the pan with aluminium foil even though the recipe only requires the pan to be greased. I find that sometimes the bars and slices tend to stick to the pan especially if they contain high sugar ingredients like jam, preserves and honey. And by using aluminium foil, it helps to prevent the sides of the bars touching the cake pan from burning or browning too fast.


As usual, I reduced the sugar for the topping, using only half the amount called for, and half of the corn syrup too. Believe me, you would not miss out on the sweetness, it is just right with the adjustment. And remember, choc chips are already sweetened! I replaced the almond extract with vanilla extract, as I'm not quite sure whether my nieces and nephew like almond extract, since almond extract is not everyone's cup of tea! When in doubt, use vanilla extract!!  


Why are these bars called chewy? I guess because when these bars are no longer warm, the almonds are no longer crunchy but a little chewy instead! Not that anyone is complaining! Most of the chocolate chips got all melted, coating the surface in a yummy way!


The bottom crust is like a shortbread, buttery and nice. A keeper recipe from one beautiful book!


I'm sharing this with :
Cookbook Sunday hosted by Couscous & Consciousness
Recipe Box 1 hosted by Bizzy Bakes
Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Chewy Chocolate Almond Bars
(adapted from "Bake Something Great" by Jill Snider)
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (loosely packed)
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

Topping
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup corn syrup (1/4 cup)
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp almond extract (replaced with vanilla extract)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup silvered almonds

Preheat oven to 350F (180C)
9-inch square cake pan, greased (I lined with aluminium foil, overhang on two opposite sides, for easy removal)

  1. Crust : In a bowl, combine flour, ground almonds and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven until golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. Topping : In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, syrup, melted butter and almond extract until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds. Pour evenly over crust.
  3. Return to oven and bake until set and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars.

25 comments:

  1. chocolate & almond are both ingredients that i like a lot in baking! great combination & most of all, nice to eat!! :-)

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  2. I bet the kids love this! Chocolaty and nutty, all in one, yummy! ;)

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  3. Omg, those bars looks absolutely divine.

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  4. These look wonderful, and I love the ground almonds in the crust!

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  5. Mouthwatering. This is so delicious. Beautiful yummy cake!

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  6. Your bars look delish! Love the close ups - you can tell they are chewy and choc-full!! YUM!

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  7. Yum! These look so scrumptuous Joyce! I do have all of those ingredients listed in my pantry already...must give it a try :-)

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  8. eileen@hundred eighty degreesThursday, June 14, 2012

    These bars sure taste great yummy!

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  9. I would certainly love snacking these lovely bars.

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  10. delicious looking bars to snack and for dessert

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  11. So delicious with the almonds!

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  12. look at that chocolate peaking through the top! wow, i love the idea of adding almonds to it. These bars look insanely delicious

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  13. Lovely bars! Would love to have one or two of them right now :D. Chewy sounds interesting and very very mouthwatering.
    Have a great day!
    Anuja

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  14. I trust you! I always reduce the sugar in cake recipes. They are always too sweet for me ;-) This chic almond bars look really yummy!

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  15. Delicious and healthy bars!!!Bravo!Kisses,dear!

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  16. very healthy bars.. yummy too

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  17. mouthwatering here. bars are just awesome

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  18. I love bars and slices much more than I do biscuits (that's what we call cookies here) and cakes, and these bars sound like my idea of heaven.

    Thanks for sharing at Cookbook Sundays, Joyce.

    xo

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  19. Hi Joy,
    Wow, what a great combination for a delicious bar. I would just love to have one of these right now. Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  20. joyce, you know what i'm eating now? plain crackers..i actually long for something sweet now...all my cakes habis already in my fridge..

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  21. You just solved a problem for me. I was looking for a recipe for one of the linkys and I went blank. With an addition of dried fruit (one of the qualifiers), this is going to fit the bill. Thanks so much.

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  22. Oh! My sons will be trilled to have these delicious bars for snack! I don't think it will stay long on the tray! I would say within 5 minutes! LOL But seriously these are so heavenly & tempting even I can't resist! Have a lovely day, Joyce! :)

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  23. Joyce, you bake so often I wonder how you finished up your bakes? I am having trouble and also hv to deal with a growing waist,pretty alarming lol! These does looks delicious, I have yet to bake any that is bar like lol!

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  24. Wow, looks so tempting, awesome..

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  25. Oh my God!!! What a temptation!!!
    It looks delicious!!!
    We really LOVED your blog!!!
    We are Johnny and Joanna...

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