Recipes

Scrumptious Layer Bar

This is a family recipe by Eileen Jones, modified by my wife.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium saucepan combine:

• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup evaporated skim milk (one 5.3 ounce can, or half a 12 ounce can)
• 4 ounces cream cheese (one-half a standard size block)

Cook on low heat, stirring until smooth.

Remove from the heat and stir in:

• 1 cup chopped nuts (we use walnuts, chopped by hand)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

In a food processor combine until the texture resembles a coarse sand or brown sugar that holds shape when pinched:

• 2 ounces cream cheese (one-quarter a standard size block)
• 1 cup gluten-free flour mix
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Then add to the food processor and combine to make a crumbly texture (the machine's sound will deepen):

• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (yes, it appears multiple times in this recipe)

Distribute the crumbly mixture and squish it to cover the entire bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread the melted chocoolate-and-nut filling over that.

Then use the food processor to make a second copy of the same crumbly mixture.

Again we first combine the flours and fats until the texture resembles a coarse sand or brown sugar that holds shape when pinched:

• 2 ounces cream cheese (the final quarter of a standard size block)
• 1 cup gluten-free flour mix
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Again we add and combine in the food processor to make a crumbly texture (the machine's sound will deepen):

• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (yes, it appears multiple times in this recipe)

Sprinkle the second bunch of crumbly mixture on top. This time let it stay as coarse crumbles, instead of squishing it to cover the entire pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden.

There is no need to transfer it to a cooling rack.

If you cut it into cookie bars, these may be frozen.