The mashed potatoes and candied yams might have gone, however the cranberry sauce stays. Its function on the Thanksgiving desk could be paralyzing, however I guarantee you, cranberry sauce isn’t tied to a meal of turkey. It’s actually only a candy fruit compote, jelly, or jam (relying in your preferences), and can be utilized as such. And when you possibly can’t appear to make use of up that final cup or so of cranberry sauce, it’s best to make these cranberry jam bars. (You’ll all of the sudden want you had extra left over.)
Easy methods to make cranberry jam bars
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
These jam bars use a straight ahead mixing methodology, and the recipe works nicely with a chunky or unfastened sauce. I used one and a half cups of home made cranberry sauce within the recipe beneath, and it made for a fairly thick jam layer within the bars, however understand that this quantity could be very versatile. You probably have solely a half-cup of cranberry sauce, you may make a skinny stripe layer as an alternative. Two cups of cranberry sauce will make for a pleasant jammy middle, however I don’t advocate rather more than that, or the sauce may bubble over the topping.
1. Combine the moist substances
Soften the butter in a medium sized bowl and stir within the brown sugar, egg, almond extract, and salt. The egg must be room temperature so it mixes nicely with the butter; a chilly egg will trigger the saturated fats to clump up. Be at liberty to substitute the almond extract for vanilla if you happen to’d like.
2. Add the dry substances
Combine the flour, oats, and baking powder collectively in a small bowl. Dump them into the moist substances suddenly, and stir till simply mixed. The dough will likely be thick like cookie dough, as a result of that is basically what it’s.
3. Press the dough into the pan
Add half of the dough to a buttered baking dish. I used a 9 by seven inch Pyrex dish, and I lined it with a strip of parchment paper to maintain it from sticking. Nonetheless, in case your dish is nicely buttered, it gained’t stick both. Press the dough down into an excellent layer throughout the underside. Don’t fear about making it easy, a finger dimples gained’t present later.
4. Add the cranberry sauce and topping
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Scoop the cranberry sauce onto the dough and unfold it out into an excellent layer. Add chopped pecans to the remaining dough within the bowl and stir it collectively to include the nuts. (In the event you don’t like nuts, you possibly can add the identical measurement of rolled oats.) Break the topping into small chunks and distribute them throughout the floor of the sauce. There’s no must press down, because it’ll loosen up when it heats up within the oven.
Credit score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Bake the bars for 40 minutes in a 350°F oven, or till the topping is barely browned, the sides are effervescent, and the middle stays agency when pressed.
As soon as cool, mud with powdered sugar and minimize into bars. They will strike simply the suitable stability between breakfast bar and jam cookie, which makes them nice for breakfast and dessert. I haven’t tried making them with the canned jelly number of cranberry sauce but, nevertheless it’s value a shot when you have some hanging out within the fridge. The important thing there will likely be to let the bars cool fully earlier than slicing, so the jelly can arrange once more after being warmed up.
Cranberry Jam Bars Recipe
Substances:
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1 stick butter, melted
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¾ cup brown sugar
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1 egg (room temperature)
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½ teaspoon almond extract
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¼ teaspoon salt
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2 cups flour
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½ cup old style rolled oats
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½ teaspoon baking powder
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⅓ cup chopped pecans (for crumble)
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1 ½ cups cranberry sauce
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Powdered sugar for dusting
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a baking dish nicely, and line it with parchment if desired.
2. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, extract, and salt collectively in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats, and baking powder. Add the dry substances to the butter combination suddenly. Combine till simply mixed.
3. Add half of the dough to the baking dish, and press it into the underside of the dish in an excellent layer. Unfold the cranberry sauce evenly on high of the bottom layer.
4. Add chopped pecans to the remaining dough within the mixing bowl. Combine to mix. Break the dough into small items and distribute them throughout the floor of the jam layer. Cowl the jam evenly, nevertheless it’s okay if a few of the jam peeks out. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, or till the sides have frivolously browned, the jam is effervescent on the sides, and the middle is agency when pressed. Cool fully earlier than slicing.
