Chocolate Cherry Bars
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone.
But let’s face it. We don’t need a holiday to indulge in some chocolate. This is a recipe – Chocolate Cherry Bars – I have had for years. It came in a little Hershey’s cookbook I grabbed from the grocery store back when the Internet was new and I actually needed a cookbook to try out new and delicious recipes. It is rich and delicious. Whenever I take them to an event, I’m always asked for the recipe. So, go ahead. Try them. You will not regret it.Chocolate Cherry Bars
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup HERSHEY’S MINI KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates (I just use semisweet chocolate chips)
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat; stir in cocoa until smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar, 3 eggs, 1-1/2 cups flour and almonds; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 egg, remaining 1/3 cup flour, sweetened condensed milk and almond extract. Pour over baked layer; sprinkle chocolates and cherries over top. Return to oven.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set and edges are golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until cold, 6 hours or overnight. Cut into bars. Cover; refrigerate leftover bars. About 48 bars.
