Luv What You Do

As I was making the White Chocolate Puppy Chow for today’s work party, it got me thinking about what I made last year for the winter party.  Another winter white chocolate dessert, these indulgent Cranberry Bliss Bars, based on the Starbucks bars.

The fresh ginger is the place to start and adds the perfect amount of zing.

It nicely compliments the white chocolate and dried cranberries in these cakey bars.

The bars are drenched in cream cheese frosting, which adds the perfect amount of sweetness and topped with even more cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.

Absolute perfection!  I must confess that I have never tried this Starbucks sweet, but I’m betting these are just as good.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

From Mr. Breakfast’s Collection
(15 servings)

• For Cake Base:
• 2 sticks margarine (or butter if you want to indulge) – softened
• 1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar – packed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup Lindt or Perugina or other quality white chocolate – coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup minced candied ginger
• For Frosting:
• 4 ounce cream cheese – softened
• 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter – softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• For Garnish:
• 2 Tablespoons minced dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips (e.g. Ghiradelli or Guittard) — melted

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9×13 pan.
Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs/vanilla beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.
When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then use a cake decorating bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing on cakes) and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.
Cut this into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and makes cake cutting messy.

I love a good deal, especially at the grocery store.  I found this HUGE bag of Craisins at Costco for not much more than the tiny bag I usually get at the grocery store (plus I had a coupon).  Now that I have a years worth of dried cranberries, the fun thing is determining what to do with them, besides making trail mix and adding them to salads.

I know everyone talks about the Cranberry Bliss Bars at Starbucks, but I have never tried them. However, I accidentally came across the recipe and knew I had to make them for an upcoming work party.

I started by blending my butter and sugar.

Then adding eggs and vanilla, blending well.

Combine dry ingredients.

Then add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until well blended.

The next step is stirring in the ginger, cranberries, and white chocolate.  I found candied ginger at whole foods and bought the 365 white chocolate chunks.  I chopped everything up and added it in.

I always take a lick off the spoon while I’m cleaning up and the dough tastes promising!

Bake the bars for 25 minutes and then cool before frosting.

The cream cheese frosting is simple to make.  Just beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla.  The frosting was delicious and I will use that recipe again for sure!

I frosted the bars with a thin layer and melted white chocolate to spread across the top, then sprinkled with dried cranberries.

I was so excited to try them that I had to cut a tiny triangle for myself.  Unfortunately white frosting doesn’t photo well on a white plate, but the bars tasted fabulous.  The candied ginger is the perfect addition.  Next time, I might add some on top of the frosting as well.  I’m looking forward to serving them at the party  today!

Find the full recipe on the Mr. Breakfast Website…

Stay posted for more exciting cranberry recipes!