Nestles makes the very best choco-late.
For about 20 years after moving to Texas I catered; I had my first job about a month after moving here for our realtor, then our builder and then for a corporation and after that things picked up and I was most doing corporate work except at Christmas time where I was booked mostly for cocktail parties and I also did showers, weddings, and graduation parties. My favorite party to cater, by far, was a cocktail party because I love little food. It’s a lot more work doing all those little pieces of food but I have always loved to watch people try a lot of different items which you get with that type of party vs a dinner party.
When catering corporate luncheons I had to come up with different recipes for cookies/bars/finger desserts. I could whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies or brownies without even looking at a recipe because I did them so often. I can no longer do that since it has been about 6 years since I have catered anything. That part of my life is in the rear view mirror and was the reason I started food blogging; I missed cooking the food and sharing with others.
When my kids were younger, chocolate chip cookies were their most requested cookie for me to make. One year at one of the school book sales I bought this Nestles book and over the next few years of catering (like 20) I made several favorites from that book.
Before posting this recipe I decided to do a little internet search to see if there were a million recipes for this bar already circulating. I didn’t really find any so decide to post one of my catered favorites. You can cut these in big bars are even a small 1″ square for those friends who want “just a bite”. They freeze great and are nice to have on hand for the starving for sweets husband who wants something other than an apple for dessert.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: This little White Chocolate Raspberry Bar is a recipe my daughter, Alexis, gave me and is another one that freezes well and should be cut into tiny pieces because it is so rich and delicious.
All the ingredients for a yummy dessert bar.
Put the flour, brown sugar and butter into a bowl and mix with fingers until you have pea size pieces of butter.
Press mixture into a 9 x 11″ pan you have coated with cooking spray; bake in oven for about 20 minutes.
Mix the 3/4 cup flour with the condensed milk and eggs. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Add in the coconut, pecans and chocolate stir; stir to blend together.
Pour the chocolate chip mixture on top of the baked crust and bake in oven for another 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
Add the 3/4 cup (or 11 oz. jar) of raspberry preserves to top while the pan is still hot; smooth to cover the top.
Sprinkle with 1 1/2-2 cups additional coconut. Cool then cut into bars.
These freeze great. I’m packing these into some Tupperware to take to craft circle. Let’s see how long they last.
Coconut Chocolate Raspberry Squares
Ingredients
- Base:
- 1 1/2 c. flour
- 1/4 c. brown sugar plus 1/8 c.
- 3/4 c. butter softened
- Topping:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 c. flour
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt plus 1/8 tsp.
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 c. coconut
- 3/4 c. raspberry preserves
- coconut
- 3/4 c. pecans optional
- 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. With a pastry blender, cut butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Press into 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 20 minutes.
- Topping: Mix the condensed milk, flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs. Stir in coconut, peans and chocolate chips. Pour over base and bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and spread preserves over top of pan. Sprinkle with extra coconut. Cool completely These freeze great.
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