Candied Ginger Cardamom Bars Recipes

CANDIED GINGER - CARDAMOM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.
• Ok here is the hardest part -- finely chop crystallized ginger and set aside.
• In a food processor add flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse to combine.
• Cut butter into half in cubes.
• Add butter to processor and mix into a coarse meal forms.
• Beat egg and add 2 tablespoons to processor and mix until a moist crumbs form.
• Add ginger and blend until moist clumps form.
• Press dough into pan.
• Brush the rest of the egg over the top.
• Bake 40 minutes.
• Transfer to rack and let cool completely in pan.
• Cut into 18 pieces.

GINGER AND ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pan with baking parchment, letting the parchment hang over the sides. (This will make it easier to remove the dessert once baked.)
• Prepare the base:
• In the saucepan, melt the butter. Add the almond meal, fresh ginger, honey, egg, salt, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The mixture should be thick and sticky.
• Turn the mixture out into the prepared pan. To help make a level and even base, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the base. Using a flat-bottomed glass (or your fingers), smooth out the base by pressing gently to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until the base is slightly firm, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the topping:
• In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the almonds, candied ginger, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated.
• When the base is baked, spread the topping evenly over the base and bake until the topping is dark and sizzling, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not underbake.
• Transfer the pan to the baking rack to cool. When the dessert is completely cool, remove it from the pan using the overhanging parchment as handles and cut it into 16 even squares.
• Do Ahead
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Variation:
• Chestnut Honey Squares: For the base, replace 1 cup (90g) almond meal with 3/4 cup (120 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour and use a strong honey, such as chestnut, in place of the mild honey. For the topping, replace the candied ginger with organic candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes.