Roasted Almond with Cranberry Chewy Bars

These bars are really tasty. Hubs and I have eaten our way through 3 batches already. Oh the perils of recipe creation and testing!! But please don’t worry. I’m happy to take one for the team. So. Back to these gooey bars of richness. I brought them to a happening little Christmas fete the other week. Not being the traditional holiday fare I was curious how they would go over. Well. Let’s just say that I was surprised. I knew they were good- but oh my. The poor host was literally swarmed as she passed them out. I could hear choruses of “MMMM”, “OMG”, “WOW”, “Who made these???” and, my favourite… “WAIT! I want another!!” I guess you could call them a hit. It’s the blend of the toasted almonds combined with the slight tart of the cranberries that really makes these bars. The mix of chewy and crunchy textures, and the fact that they’re not overly sweet, will have you coming back for more. There may or may not be tray number 4 cooling in the fridge at this very minute.

Roasted Almond with Cranberry Chewy Bars

3 cups puffed brown rice
2 cups roasted almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 tbsp maple syrup
2/3 cup almond butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (start with 1/2tsp and add more to suit your personal taste)
1 tsp sweet white miso

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In a large bowl, mix together the puffed rice, roasted almonds and dried cranberries then set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Heat over a medium flame until almost boiling. The sauce should have a glossy, shiny surface. mmmmm.

Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Run you hands under cool water and while still damp use your hands to press the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish or mini cupcake tray.

Place in the fridge and let cool. Once cooled, cut bars or twist the rounds out of the cupcake tray and serve. Be warned. You may be swarmed by guests coveting the rich yet not too sweet dessert. By may I actually mean the chances for swarming are exceedingly high. If you want any left over either make a double batch, or stash one or two away in the back of your fridge in a solid, not see through, container.