Irresistible White Chocolate Raspberry Bars: A Classic Bake-Off Inspired Dessert
Indulge in the sweet, tangy, and utterly irresistible world of White Chip Raspberry Bars. This cherished recipe, thoughtfully adapted from a vintage Bake-Off classic, offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures that will captivate your taste buds. Imagine a rich, buttery base, generously studded with creamy white chocolate chips, layered with vibrant, fruity raspberry jam, and crowned with a delicate, crumbly topping and toasted almonds. These bars are not only incredibly easy to prepare but also a joy to personalize, making them a fantastic choice for any occasion, from casual family gatherings to elegant dessert spreads.
What makes these White Chip Raspberry Bars truly special is their incredible versatility. While the raspberry version remains a perennial favorite, the recipe invites creativity, allowing you to experiment with various types of jam. Over the years, I’ve seen equally delicious iterations made with apricot, blueberry, and cherry jam, each offering its unique twist. This adaptability ensures that you can enjoy these delightful dessert bars year-round, tailoring them to seasonal fruits or simply to your current craving. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, this recipe promises a rewarding experience and a batch of bars that are sure to disappear quickly!
Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Raspberry Bars
These White Chip Raspberry Bars are more than just a dessert; they’re a symphony of flavors and textures, designed to be both simple to make and utterly delicious. Here’s why they deserve a permanent spot in your recipe collection:
- Effortless Preparation: Don’t let their gourmet appearance fool you; these bars are surprisingly straightforward to whip up. With clear, easy-to-follow steps, even novice bakers can achieve perfect results. The method involves simple melting, mixing, and layering, making it a stress-free baking project.
- Incredible Flavor Profile: The magic lies in the contrast of flavors. The sweet, creamy notes of white chocolate perfectly complement the bright, tartness of the raspberry jam. A hint of lemon zest adds a refreshing brightness, while almond extract deepens the overall flavor, creating a truly harmonious taste experience.
- Crowd-Pleasing Dessert: Whether you’re hosting a party, bringing a treat to a potluck, or simply looking for a delightful snack, these bars are always a hit. Their attractive presentation and universally loved flavor combination make them a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for all ages.
- Customizable to Your Liking: As mentioned, the jam is your canvas! Feel free to substitute raspberry jam with your favorite fruit preserve. Imagine variations with strawberry, blackberry, or even a mixed berry blend. You can also play with the type of chocolate chips or nuts used, making each batch uniquely yours.
- Perfect Texture: Enjoy a tender, buttery base that provides the perfect foundation for the gooey jam and the slightly crisp, golden brown topping, finished with a satisfying crunch from the toasted almonds. Each bite offers a delightful interplay of soft, chewy, and crunchy elements.
Essential Ingredients for Your Raspberry & White Chocolate Bars
Crafting these delectable bars requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:
- Salted Butter: We specify salted butter for a reason! It enhances the overall flavor of the bars and balances the sweetness. If you only have unsalted butter on hand, simply add about ⅜ teaspoon of salt to the batter to achieve a similar taste profile. This small adjustment makes a big difference.
- White Chocolate Morsels: The star of the show! These creamy morsels melt into the butter to form a rich base and are also mixed into the topping, providing pockets of sweet, milky chocolate throughout. Using high-quality white chocolate will elevate the flavor significantly. Ensure you have enough for both the base and the top layer.
- Large Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent, helping to create a cohesive and tender crumb for the bar. Beating them until foamy and then with sugar incorporates air, leading to a lighter texture in the finished product.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the bar’s structure and browning. The amount used is carefully balanced to complement the sweetness of the white chocolate and jam without being overly cloying.
- Lemon Zest: A secret weapon for brightness! The fresh zest of a lemon cuts through the richness of the butter and white chocolate, adding a wonderfully aromatic and slightly tangy note that beautifully enhances the raspberry jam. Don’t skip this for an extra layer of flavor.
- Almond Extract: This extract adds a subtle, sophisticated nutty aroma and flavor that pairs exceptionally well with both raspberry and white chocolate. It elevates the bars from simply good to truly extraordinary. A little goes a long way, so measure carefully.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of the bars, providing body and texture. Sifting your flour isn’t strictly necessary but can help achieve a lighter texture.
- Salt: Essential for balancing flavors, even if using salted butter. It highlights the sweetness of the chocolate and fruit, preventing the bars from tasting flat.
- Seedless Raspberry Jam: The vibrant, fruity heart of these bars. Using seedless jam ensures a smooth, pleasant texture. The tartness of raspberry jam is particularly good against the sweet white chocolate, creating a dynamic flavor contrast. You can also choose other jams, as noted in the variations section.
- Toasted Sliced Almonds: These add a fantastic crunch and a delicate nutty flavor to the topping, complementing the almond extract in the batter. Toasting them beforehand brings out their maximum flavor.
Baking Tips for Perfect White Chip Raspberry Bars
Achieving bakery-quality White Chip Raspberry Bars is simpler than you think with a few key tips and tricks:
- Preparation is Key: Always start by preheating your oven and lining your pan. Using foil and spraying it with cooking spray ensures easy removal of the bars once cooled, making cleanup a breeze and preventing sticking. A 9-inch square metal pan is ideal for the proportions of this recipe.
- Melting Butter and Morsels: When melting the butter and then adding one cup of white chocolate morsels, resist the urge to stir immediately. Letting the morsels stand in the hot butter allows them to melt gently from residual heat, preventing scorching and ensuring a smooth mixture once stirred.
- Beating Eggs and Sugar: Don’t rush this step! Beating the eggs until foamy, then with sugar until light lemon colored and thick, is crucial. This process incorporates air, which contributes to the light and tender texture of the crust. This can take about 5 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Gentle Mixing for Dry Ingredients: Once you add the flour and salt, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tough bars. A low speed on your mixer or gentle hand-folding is sufficient.
- The Two-Stage Baking Process: Baking the crust first until light golden brown creates a sturdy base for the jam. The second bake with the topping ensures everything sets beautifully and achieves that desirable browned edge.
- Warming the Jam (if needed): Some jams are quite firm straight from the jar. A quick 30-second warm-up in the microwave can make it easier to spread smoothly over the warm crust, ensuring an even layer without tearing the delicate, partially baked base.
- Evenly Distributing the Topping: When dropping spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the jam, try to distribute it as evenly as possible. This creates a beautiful, rustic, and crumbly top layer once baked. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover every inch; that’s part of its charm!
- Cooling Completely is Crucial: Patience is a virtue when it comes to cutting bars. Allow the White Chip Raspberry Bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. This allows them to firm up properly, ensuring clean, neat cuts and preventing them from falling apart. Rushing this step often results in messy bars.
- Cutting Your Bars: The recipe yields a 9-inch pan of bars, which can be cut into 12, 16, or even smaller portions depending on your preference. For a standard size, cutting into a 4×4 grid (16 bars) is typical. For bite-sized treats, you can cut them even smaller.
Delicious Variations to Explore
The beauty of these White Chip Raspberry Bars lies in their adaptability. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different flavors to suit your personal preferences or what you have on hand:
- Jam Swaps:
- Apricot Bars: A classic alternative that offers a milder sweetness and a beautiful golden hue.
- Blueberry Bars: For a burst of summery flavor, blueberry jam works wonderfully, especially if you add a touch of lemon zest to the jam itself.
- Cherry Bars: Offers a deeper, richer fruit flavor, contrasting beautifully with the white chocolate.
- Strawberry or Mixed Berry: These provide a delightful sweetness and vibrant color, especially good with a hint of vanilla or lemon.
- Fig or Date Jam: For a more sophisticated and less sweet profile, these can be surprisingly delicious, especially with a sprinkle of walnuts instead of almonds.
- Nutty Alternatives:
- Instead of toasted sliced almonds, try finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or even macadamia nuts for a different crunch and flavor.
- For an almond-free option, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds can add a nice texture and savory counterpoint.
- Chocolate Variations:
- While white chocolate is traditional, you could try a blend of white and milk chocolate chips in the topping for a different flavor dynamic.
- Mini chocolate chips could also be incorporated into the batter or sprinkled on top for an added layer of indulgence.
- Extract Experiments:
- If you’re not a fan of almond extract, vanilla extract is always a safe and delicious substitute.
- A tiny bit of orange extract could enhance citrusy jams, or even a touch of rosewater could add an exotic floral note if paired with certain fruit jams.
Storing Your White Chip Raspberry Bars
To keep your White Chip Raspberry Bars fresh and delicious, proper storage is key. Once completely cooled, store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. If you plan to make a large batch or want to enjoy them over an extended period, these bars freeze beautifully. Cut them into individual portions, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
These bars are not just a simple dessert; they are a delightful canvas for your baking creativity. Whether you stick to the classic raspberry and white chocolate combination or venture into exciting new variations, these bars are guaranteed to bring joy with every bite. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and prepare to bake a batch of these unforgettable White Chip Raspberry Bars!
Recipe
White Chip Raspberry Bars aka Razz-Ma-Tazz Bars
Anna
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter (or add ⅜ teaspoon salt to unsalted) (114 grams)
- 2 cups white chocolate morsels divided use (12-oz. pkg.)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar (96 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (126 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup seedless raspberry jam (120 ml)
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds (28 grams)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 325° F (160° C). Line a 9-inch square metal pan with foil, ensuring the foil extends slightly over the edges to create “handles” for easy removal. Spray the foil generously with cooking spray to prevent sticking. This preparation step is crucial for an effortless transfer of the bars once cooled.
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In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter on high for about 1 minute until completely liquefied. Add 1 cup of the white chocolate morsels to the hot melted butter. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes without stirring. The residual heat from the butter will gently melt the chocolate, preventing it from seizing or scorching. After a few minutes, stir gently until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are light and foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating continuously until the mixture becomes light lemon colored and thick, which typically takes about 5 minutes with an electric mixer. This step incorporates air, making the bars lighter. Stir in the cooled butter-morsel mixture, fresh lemon zest, and almond extract until everything is well incorporated. Finally, add the all-purpose flour and salt. Mix on low speed, or by hand, just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough bars. Spread about two-thirds (⅔) of this batter evenly into your prepared pan.
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Bake the base layer for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is mostly set. This initial bake creates a stable foundation for the jam layer. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool slightly while you prepare the next layer.
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While the crust is still warm, prepare your raspberry jam. If your jam is very thick, heat it in a small, microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds and stir until it becomes easily spreadable. Spread the warmed jam evenly over the partially baked crust. Next, stir the remaining white chocolate morsels into the remaining one-third (⅓) of the batter. Drop spoonfuls of this batter mixture over the jam layer, scattering them somewhat randomly to create a delightful, rustic topping. Finally, sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds generously over the entire surface.
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Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the edges are well browned. The jam layer should be bubbly, and the top set. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it back on the wire rack. It is crucial to let the bars cool completely in the pan before attempting to cut them. This allows the jam and chocolate to set fully, ensuring clean, perfect bars. Once completely cool, lift the bars out of the pan using the foil “handles” and cut into your desired number of bars. A 9-inch pan can yield 12 generous bars or up to 16 smaller, bite-sized portions. Enjoy your homemade White Chip Raspberry Bars!