Popular from Starbucks. I add more ginger and extra orange for a richer flavour. Don't forget the drizzle of white chocolate! You can make a whole pan of these and give them away--if you don't eat them all first! This recipe makes a large batch of bars. You can freeze half if desired.
Ingredients
Base:
1 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup softened butter
3 eggs
3 tbsp minced crystallized ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp orange emulsion. If you don’t have omit or use 1 tbsp Grand Marnier
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp powdered ginger. (I like a spicier bar -omit if you like less bite)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips, I chopped a bit after measuring
3/4 cup cranberries, roughly chopped after measuring
Secondary base:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
6 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp orange juice from an orange or orange emulsion
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
orange zest from a small orange
Topping:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
2 tsp coconut butter
Garnish:
Sugar drizzle: (noted below) optional
white chocolate melted
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease 2 pans; a 9x13 and an 8x8.
3. In mixer place: softened butter, brown sugar: beat well until a uniform mass. Now add: eggs, crystallized ginger, vanilla extract, orange emulsion.
4. Mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger together in small bowl:
5. Add to batter. Blend fully with no excess flour bits. By hand add: white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
6. Divide batter. I ended up with a batter about 1/2” thick for both pans. (the smaller pan used 1 cup batter.)
7. Bake at 350F for 23-27 minutes. Don’t over-bake. Tooth pick test.(Clean/dry). You want a light brown top.
8. Cool completely. Don’t put on even a slightly warm product! You can wait; promise.
Cream cheese Topping:
1. Blend in a mixer: cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange emulsion, lemon juice. Spread on both pans. (1/3 on smaller pan.)
2. . Sprinkle cranberries and orange zest evenly between pans.
3. Sprinkle the following powdered sugar drizzle frosting if desired (Blend in small bowl: powdered sugar, milk, coconut butter) or melted white chocolate.
4. Store in fridge.
Chef Notes
Originally I saw this recipe using a 13X9 pan. The crust was way too thick. I divide the batter accordingly and get more goodies to give away--not-- I eat them. Hehe.
We love citrus thus I occasionally add 1/4 tsp dried orange peel.
Store in the fridge. It has cream cheese in it. No food poisoning in your house!
Slice and freeze if desired. Defrost in fridge and enjoy!
yum. thank you.