Cranberry Tangerine Bars With Chocolate Shortbread Crust

Once a month a group of us get together to celebrate our love for chocolate. 

 

This  month for our Chocolate Party our challenge was to create something with cranberries and chocolate. If you want to learn more about the group make sure to visit the link above or check out the Facebook page to join!

At first I wanted to make a cranberry cream pie with a chocolate crust, then I was thinking of a cranberry filled cream puff with a chocolate ganache.... then these bars came to me when I was tossing the idea of making a curd with the abundance of cranberries I have in my fridge!

The idea behind them is much like a lemon bar. It's a curd topping over a shortbread crust.

What I love most about them is their brilliant color. MAN did they come out pretty. The contrast of pink, brown and orange makes me want to show case them.... not eat them!

Cranberry Tangerine Bars w/ Chocolate Shortbread Crust

Ingredients:

12 oz of fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
the juice and zest of 2 medium tangerines
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs

Crust:

1 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 cup coco powder
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold water

(Additional tangerine zest for garnish)

Directions:

In a 2 qt sauce pan add cranberries, sugar, juice and zest. Simmer on medium low heat for about 15 minutes or until all the berries have popped and you have a cranberry sauce.

Pour cranberry mixture into a fine sieve over a large bowl. Push berry juice through leaving all the pulpy parts behind. You should be left with a thin curd like mixture.

Whisk in salt, eggs, and flour.

For your crust.

In the bowl of your electric mixer using the paddle attachment. Add flour, coco, butter, and salt together. Mix on medium speed until it is crumbly. Slowly pour in cold water until a dough comes together.

Press dough on the bottom of a parchment paper lined 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.

Pour cranberry curd topping onto the uncooked crust.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the center has set and only jiggles slightly.

Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Sprinkle with remaining tangerine zest.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.