The hour is 1o:30 p.m. The plan is set and video’s soon to roll. An 11th hour whisper and listening ears bring lovely little pie bars into existence.
A signature graham cracker crust rests under the creamy dark while fresh strawberry fans and pistachios tip toe once melted chocolate.
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
The word “life” in John Lennon’s lyric carries various meaning at different times in life, doesn’t it?
In this case, “life” thankfully arrives as a plus and by way of a pie bar.
These pie bars are classic, creamy, crunchy and yours for the making, so
LET’S BAKE AND MAKE!
Make graham cracker crumbs then push together into a square pan.
Bake the crus and let cool.
Melt chocolate, chips or chopped welcome.
Spread chocolate over the cooled crust.
Decorate with sliced strawberries and pistachios. Or what makes you happiest!
Refrigerate.
For a video of two humans and their best girl making these bars – click here = D
Serve
Take a sharp knife and cut into various shapes.
Easy, looks creative, and everyone can choice their own size piece!
Share
at once…
or take a couple out at a time,
eating when right for your taste.
Pie like you berry much.
Dark Chocolate Pistachio Pie Bars
Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups or 12 sheet graham crackers
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 7-7.5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (sea level = 3/4 butter or 6 Tablespooons)
- 10½ ounces or 3/4 bag chocolate - chopped or chips
- 1/3 cup or 4 strawberries, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons pistachios, unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 8" square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Grease an 8" square pan with a light coat of butter (I use the wrapper from melting butter), then set aside. Crumb graham crackers in a food processor. Pulse until crumbs are fine and uniform in size.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, clove and salt. Give a quick couple processor bursts, then drizzle butter to the mix and whirl a few more times until crumbs are well coated and even in distribution.
- Spread the crumbs even across the bottom of the square pan. With your hands, a tart tamper, or the back and side of a small measuring cup, press the graham cracker mix into the bottom and ever so slight up the pan edge. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- On the center oven rack, bake until golden, about 7 minutes. The crust won't turn golden, but when finished, will smell graham cracker fragrant. Let cool on a wire rack.
- Once cool, melt chocolate one of two ways:Double BoilerAdd one-inch water to double boiler or medium pot. Set over medium heat fitted with a medium bowl. Once warmed, add chopped chocolate or chips to the bowl. Melt chocolate, while stirring every so often.MicrowaveAdd chopped chocolate or chips to a microwave safe bowl. Start with 1 minute on high, then for 20 second bursts, stirring after each interval. Ready is when chocolate is almost completely melted. Stir the rest of the way until melted and a lifted spoon streams chocolate.
- Pour chocolate in the middle of the baked crust. Hold each side of the pan and move the chocolate side to side until even across the crust. Place strawberries in the middle of each "imagined" square, then sprinkle with pistachios.
- Continue to cool on a wire rack. Serve room temperature, or place in refrigerator until cold. Cut into squares. Share.
Notes
- the only change at 6,300 altitude, is using 7-7.5 tablespoons of butter in the crust vs. 6 at sea level.
- if your crumbs feel dry when mixing, wet your fingers under water and continue with the crust
- the crust can be made ahead, cooled, and covered. I usually make and keep my crust up to one day before, but have read they keep well frozen too.
- to cool crusts faster, let cool for about five minutes, then finish cooling in the refrigerator.
- topping combinations are endless with this dessert: chocolate, cranberry, any nut. Dark chocolate, hazelnuts/pecans/walnuts/almonds and dried blueberries/dates/figs/raisins and coconut. Chocolate bars with toffee and sea salt can be used as well.
- squares best store airtight in the refrigerator or freezer. They seem to last forever in the freezer. We take a couple out when ready to eat and leave on the counter for 5-10 minutes.
Those are beautiful!
Thank you Dixie. I appreciate 🦋