Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes

Helen's Hungarian Heritage Recipes
Chef Ilona Szabo Reveals The Secrets of Hungarian Cooking

Monday, December 7, 2009

CRANBERRY CRUNCH BARS (or SQUARES)


This recipe is sooooo very delicious and one of my favorite bars – the tangy cranberries, make this very elegant.  They are also great topped with sweetened ice cream or a vanilla custard, but can be served hot or cold.

OATMEAL CRUMBLE
1 cup flour
1 ½ cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks sweet butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup sugar

CRANBERRY FILLING
1 ½ cups sugar
1/8 tsp salt
¾ cups water
3 cups cranberries (frozen)
¾ cups raisins
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch


Preheat oven to 350oF. Prepare 9”x9”X2” Glass pan by lining with parchment paper.

Oatmeal Crumble: In a large mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. First mix with a fork then with fingers for a more crumbly mixture. Spread 1/2 the mixture on bottom of the prepared baking dish and press down with fingers. 

Cranberry Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in water. Add cranberries and raisins.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn down heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Spread with ¾ of cooled cranberry mixture, and then sprinkle with remaining crumbly oatmeal mix. Save ¼ of cranberry spread to spoon over top of ice cream.

Bake at 350o F for approximately 35 minutes or until nicely browned.


Serving Suggestions: Serve slightly warm and spoon out large portions onto a shallow soup dish and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and or whipped cream and a bit more cranberry filling. Serves 6-9 as dessert. Serve completely cooled and cut in squares for cookies.  Makes 16 2” square cookies.

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