Shared Sugar » bars http://sharedsugar.com Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:29:40 +0000 en hourly 1 Pumpkin bars with maple cream cheese frosting http://sharedsugar.com/pumpkin-bars-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/ http://sharedsugar.com/pumpkin-bars-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/#comments Fri, 19 Nov 2010 05:47:19 +0000 Mara http://sharedsugar.com/?p=1522 SharedSugar_PumpkinBars
There was one delightful fall day a few years ago when I came to work and discovered a tray of pumpkin bars, baked by the wife of my former boss. I’d never experienced anything quite like them before, and they instantly became one of my favorite baked goods. Ever. This is big people. As you’ve probably noticed, we’re not really strangers to dessert around here.

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Last fall I tried to replicate them without a recipe. Sad times. These were not anything like Tami’s pumpkin bars. So finally, I swallowed my pride and asked my former boss, John for the recipe. They kindly provided it. And, an entire tray of bars from her. Yum. This year I’ve fared much better with the original recipe. Of course, I couldn’t quite leave it alone and made a few adjustments including applesauce, wheat, a few more spices, nuts and an adapted maple cream cheese frosting I’ve made before.

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I’m not quite sure how to categorize these things? Bar, apparently. However, they’re almost more like a shorty sheet cake. Whatever they are, they work. And, they are perfect for fall. Especially if you can’t take making another pumpkin pie over Thanksgiving this year.

    PUMPKIN BARS WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

    adapted from Tami
    makes approx. 24 bars

  • Ingredients

  • pumpkin bars
  • 1-3/4 cups pure cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 15 oz. pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree)
  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • maple cream cheese frosting
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (use 2-1/4 cups for a thicker frosting)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

  • Directions

    • make the pumpkin bars

    Lightly grease a 10-inch x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

    In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and pumpkin puree. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Pour batter in jelly roll pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place pan on a cooling rack and cool bars completely.

    make the maple cream cheese frosting

    In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the cream cheese and butter. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix in maple syrup. Refrigerate frosting for at least 30 minutes. This step is important. From experience, if you don’t refrigerate the frosting, it’ll slide right off the bars. After frosting is chilled, ice the bars. Sprinkle pecans on top of the frosted bars.

]]> http://sharedsugar.com/pumpkin-bars-with-maple-cream-cheese-frosting/feed/ 22 Grasshopper Bars http://sharedsugar.com/grasshopper-bars/ http://sharedsugar.com/grasshopper-bars/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:08:27 +0000 Mara http://sharedsugar.com/?p=668 GrasshopperBars1
Grasshoppers and Sassafras. Sounds sort of funny taken out of context. But grasshoppers, the sweet chocolate and peppermint bars, are a Christmas tradition in my family. They’ve been a favorite probably because they’re sort of like having a rich Thin Mint brownie. I even took them to a work party and one of my friends said to me, “Who made those mint bars? Everyone keeps coming back for more.”

Before making them, I called my mom and asked her to scan this recipe in from our local Junior League cookbook, Sassafras! Note there is an actual exclamation point in the title of the book, I don’t just throw those in random sentences. Anyhow, my mom’s cookbook is quite tattered and falling apart, but she’s sweet, so she scanned it for me regardless. Later, as we were opening gifts before my family left town this week, my dad gave new copies of the cookbook to both my mom and I. So, it seems like perfect timing to post about these bars.

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I have serious issues following a recipe exactly, so I added in cream cheese to this one. This is optional, but I liked that it cut the sweetness and added a creamier texture to the frosting. Also, I tend to go light on the food coloring as I like my sweets to look more natural. I mean, I’m baking so that it doesn’t look like it belongs in a shrink wrapped envelope, right?

    Grasshopper Bars

    adapted from Sassafras!
    makes 7 to 8 dozen

  • Ingredients

    brownie layer
  • 4 eggs
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • peppermint frosting
  • 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (optional)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • a few drops of green food coloring (optional)
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
    • chocolate topping
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons butter


  • Directions

    • make the brownie layer

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (use cocoa powder for a cleaner look) an 11×17-inch baking pan with a rim. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Add cocoa, flour and peppermint extract until just combined. Then stir in butter. Pour mixture into pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Watch these carefully, as you do not want to overbake. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting. Or, speed up the process by quickly cooling them in the fridge or freezer.

    make the peppermint frosting

    In a stand mixer, cream powdered sugar with butter and cream cheese, if using. Add in peppermint and food coloring. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until a spreading consistency is reached. With a spatula, spread frosting over brownie/cake portion of bars. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Hardening the frosting makes spreading the chocolate topping easier.

    make the chocolate topping

    Melt butter and chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave. I prefer the results from the stovetop method. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make one by simply placing a metal bowl over a saucepan filled with a little water. As the chocolate melts, whisk the mixture to remove any lumps. Using a pastry or silicone brush, spread topping over frosting. Refrigerate to harden. Cut into 1×2-inch bars.

]]> http://sharedsugar.com/grasshopper-bars/feed/ 13 Pecan Squares http://sharedsugar.com/pecan-squares/ http://sharedsugar.com/pecan-squares/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:28:49 +0000 Kesha http://sharedsugar.com/?p=232 ChocolateDippedPecanBars2It’s pecan season. There is something about pecans that people just love, especially my family. Pecans are around for each holiday. Even if we request a chocolate pie or a cheesecake, a pecan pie always turns up right along side the other desserts. Growing up, I didn’t care much for pecans so when my grandpa would make his famous pecan rolls, my pecans were spoken for before they ever reached my plate. I am certain I never learned to like pecans because I never got to eat the ones that were rightfully mine.

My taste buds finally experienced pecans again when I married into a family that also has a love for pecans. I didn’t just get a great family, I got my rights back to pecans. It was like eating something for the first time. The rich, buttery flavor melted in my mouth only to experience instant regret for all of those years I gave up the tasty nuts (that are actually fruit). Each time the Officer goes home to Arkansas, I always send my love byway of a homemade dessert. In celebration of this newfound love of pecans, the desserts I make for his trips home usually include the coveted ingredient. These Pecan Squares were a hit with my in-laws during the last trip. The bars are dense and full of flavor. The honey and citrus mingle together in your mouth and are complemented by the sweet, buttery crust. I dipped some in chocolate to indulge a bit more.

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    pecan squares

  • Ingredients

  • crust
  • 1-1/4 pounds unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4-1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • topping
  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 1 cup good honey
  • 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 pounds pecans, chopped

  • Directions

    • make the crust

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and sugar in a medium size bowl with an electric mixer (using a paddle attachment if you have it), until the mixture is light, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix on low until it is combined.

    In a standard, ungreased baking sheet (18×12x1-inch),* using your floured hands, evenly distribute the dough on the sheet, pressing the dough on the bottom and sides. Bake for 15 minutes, just until the crust is set. Don’t overcook. Let it cool. Brush with a little additional cream and sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp sugar.

    make the filling

    While the crust is baking, mix the butter, honey, brown sugar and zests in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat and stir until the butter is melted. Bring mixture to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans and heavy cream.

    Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. The mixture will fill the pan to the rim so use caution when placing in the oven. In an effort to keep your oven clean, place a couple of pans on the lowest rack to catch any of the excess topping. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is set. Let the bars cool in the pan and then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

    *If you use a non-stick baking sheet, you might want to line with parchment paper prior to filling with the crust. This will help protect your pan from scratching when you cut the bars.

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