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White Chocolate Bars by Chef Bret Bannon

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Rosemary Shortbread Dough Recipe

These delicious White Chocolate Bars will be a great addition to your next dinner party! First, you will need to make the shortbread dough and then the topping. This recipe yields 32 bite-sized bars.

Rosemary Shortbread Dough Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (4 oz, 112 g) Kalona SuperNatural Unsalted Butter, softened

  • ¼ cup (2 ounces, 55 g) granulated sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

  • 1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce, 5 g) finely chopped fresh rosemary

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ¾ ounces, 160g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Rosemary Shortbread Dough Directions

The dough needs time to rest in the refrigerator so preheat the oven accordingly to 375°F. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar for 3 – 4 minutes, or until pale and creamy.

Add the flour and mix until crumbly. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and shake to distribute evenly. With your fingertips press into an even layer. Prick the dough with a few times with a fork. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 8 hours.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool.

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 cup (4 ½ oz, 135 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

  • 6 ounces premium roasted white chocolate, chopped

  • 5 tablespoons (2 ½ oz, 70 g) Kalona SuperNatural Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces

  • 2 large eggs (3 1/2 ounces)

  • 1 cup (7 oz, 200 g) granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/2 cup (2 ¼ oz, 65 g) macadamia nuts, toasted lightly and chopped coarsely

  • Generous 1/3 cup (2 oz, 55 g) chopped dried sour cherries

  • 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz, 75 g) bittersweet chocolate chips

Topping Directions

When ready to finish the blondies, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, extending the ends over on two sides. Measure flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt white chocolate and butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove the bowl or top of double boiler from heat. Cool chocolate mixture to room temperature.

In a large bowl with a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thickened and pale. Reduce the speed and stir in the cooled white chocolate. Stir the flour mixture into chocolate mixture until batter is just combined. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, and cherries. Spread batter evenly in over cooled shortbread.

Bake White Chocolate Bars in middle of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool bars completely in pan on a rack before cutting into 32 squares or 16 or 8 squares. Brownies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature, 5 days.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Bret Bannon.

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White Chocolate Bars

  • Author: Chef Bret Bannon
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

Rosemary Shortbread Dough Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (4 oz, 112 g) Kalona SuperNatural Unsalted Butter, softened
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces, 55 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon (1/4 ounce, 5 g) finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ¾ ounces, 160g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 cup (4 ½ oz, 135 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 6 ounces premium roasted white chocolate, chopped
  • 5 tablespoons (2 ½ oz, 70 g) Kalona SuperNatural Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 large eggs (3 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 cup (7 oz, 200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup (2 ¼ oz, 65 g) macadamia nuts, toasted lightly and chopped coarsely
  • Generous 1/3 cup (2 oz, 55 g) chopped dried sour cherries
  • 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz, 75 g) bittersweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Rosemary Shortbread Dough Directions

The dough needs time to rest in the refrigerator so preheat the oven accordingly to 375°F. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar for 3 – 4 minutes, or until pale and creamy.

Add the flour and mix until crumbly. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and shake to distribute evenly. With your fingertips press into an even layer. Prick the dough with a few times with a fork. Refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 8 hours.

Bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool.

Topping Directions

When ready to finish the blondies, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, extending the ends over on two sides. Measure flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt white chocolate and butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove the bowl or top of double boiler from heat. Cool chocolate mixture to room temperature.

In a large bowl with a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thickened and pale. Reduce the speed and stir in the cooled white chocolate. Stir the flour mixture into chocolate mixture until batter is just combined. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, and cherries. Spread batter evenly in over cooled shortbread.

 

Bake White Chocolate Bars in middle of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool bars completely in pan on a rack before cutting into 32 squares or 16 or 8 squares. Brownies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at cool room temperature, 5 days.