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Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Bars

These chocolate cherry hazelnut bars are made up of three different delicious layers. The chocolate chip cookie base is leveled up with brown butter and toasted hazelnut, and then topped off with a thick layer of sour cherry jam and creamy and rich dark chocolate ganache. These bars have the perfect flavor and texture balance, and are much easier to make than they may seem.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 16 bars
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Bars
  • ¾ cup raw hazelnuts
  • ½ cup salted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup sour cherry jam
Ganache Topping
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt

Method
 

Make the cookie bars
  1. In a food processor, grind up the hazelnuts to a meal, slightly coarser then almond flour.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add ¾ of the ground up hazelnuts (re- measure it because the volume will be different). Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has turned a caramel amber color and the hazelnuts are toasted. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for five minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a square 8x8 inch baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. To the slightly cooled brown butter/hazelnut mixture, add the brown and granulated sugar and whisk to combine (it will be kind of clumpy right now, that's ok). Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Once combined, add the flour, baking powder, and salt and use a spatula to combine. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Spread the dough out into an even layer in the previously prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Set on a wire cooling rack (still in the baking pan) and let the bars cool completely before topping.
  6. Once cooled, spread the cherry jam on top in an even layer. Place in the fridge while we make the ganache.
Make the ganache
  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heat safe bowl. Set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer (not a boil!). Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 3-5 minutes to soften to chocolate. Then, gently mix until you have a smooth and glossy ganache. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
  2. Pour and spread the ganache in an even layer on top of the bars. Chill for at least an hour before removing from the pan and slicing into bars.
  3. Bars stay fresh for 5 days sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator.