Cranberry Bars
12 servings
50 minutes
Cranberry bars are a refined dessert of Russian cuisine, combining the freshness of sour cranberries and the tenderness of condensed milk. Their taste is a delicate balance of sweetness and tartness, complemented by the creamy softness of the base. The history of this treat traces back to traditional Russian pies with berry fillings, where cranberries always played an important role due to their availability and rich flavor. The bars are perfect with tea or coffee, especially in cooler seasons when a cozy treat is desired. They impress with their texture: a crunchy base smoothly transitions into a velvety filling, creating a harmony of taste sensations. They are convenient to serve as mini-desserts at parties or simply enjoy them with family.
1
Filling: bring 1/2 cup of water with cranberries to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes until the berries are soft. Cool. Blend until smooth, strain the mixture through a sieve (should yield about 1 cup of cranberry puree).
- Fresh cranberries: 450 g
- Lemon juice: 0.3 glass
2
Transfer the puree to a bowl and mix it with condensed milk and lemon juice. Add the egg yolks.
- Condensed milk: 210 g
- Lemon juice: 0.3 glass
- Egg yolk: 3 pieces
3
Base: preheat the oven to 180°C. Take a 20 cm square baking pan, line it with foil, and spray with oil.
4
Mix all the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add oil and vanilla extract. Spread the dough on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C and pour the filling over the base. Bake for 23-28 minutes until the base is ready. Let it cool and chill until set.
- Wheat flour: 1 glass
- Sugar: 0.3 glass
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Butter: 6 tablespoons
- Vanilla extract: 0.5 teaspoon
5
Pull the foil to remove the dessert from the tray. Cut into 25 pieces. Serve chilled or at room temperature.