Vegan Raspberry Crumb Bars

Yes, yes I know that raspberry season is long over. But I just couldn’t resist making these delicious crumb bars again. Using frozen berries isn’t really a crime – technically, they’re supposed to be frozen at just the peak of freshness.

I found this recipe in an old Hershey’s cookbook last fall and easily made it vegan. It’s a simple chilled dessert bar with a perfect balance between the sweet berry compote, cold dark chocolate, and rich shortbread-like crust. And of course, you can use real butter and eggs if you’re not feeling the whole vegan thanng.

Vegan Raspberry Crumb Bars

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (I used a mix of the two)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup very finely chopped almonds
1 egg substitute (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer Powder)
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or vegan butter spread
3/4 cup frozen raspberries (you can also use a mixture of berries if you’d like)
1 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with PAM baking spray. Set aside 1/2 cup sugar. Stir together flour, remaining sugar, almonds, and egg substitute in a large bowl. Stir in margarine with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of crumb mixture and press the rest into the bottom to the pan.

Melt 3/4 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave by heating for 30 seconds at a time then stir. Be careful because chocolate burns very easily in a microwave. Pour the melted chocolate over the crumb mixture and spread evenly. Refrigerate the whole thing for five minutes.

Combine the frozen fruit and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium-size pot and melt over medium heat. Keep stirring as the fruit starts to melt and bubble with the sugar. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat low and let simmer until the mixture cooks down and becomes thick. Remove from heat and let cool five minutes. You can add a teaspoon or two of flour to thicken the mixture if you wish.

Pour the fruit mixture over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of crumb mixture and the last 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned. Cool completely before removing from the pan, then cut into triangles. I personally find that these treats are best when they’re served chilled, so I like to refrigerate them after baking – although you could eat them warm or room temperature if you like.