Strawberry Squares
These bars are rich and tender with a bit of chew and crunch from the nuts and lifted from a sweet strawberry jam running through the middle. Use any berry that you like to make the jam. You can also use any nut flour and chopped nut combination for the cookie base and crumble. Hazelnut crust/crumble with blackberry jam would be a nice version. As would a pistachio and raspberry one.
Servings 16
Calories 198kcal
Ingredients
Cookie Base and Crumble Topping
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 1/4 cups sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds
- 1/3 cup allulose
- 1/3 cup monk fruit golden, or more allulose
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons butter softened, or butter flavored coconut oil for dairy-free
Strawberry Jam
- 1 pound strawberries frozen
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon glucomann powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment. I like to fold a sheet of parchment in half and then use the fold as a guide to cut it in half. Lay the halves across each other so that the bottom and sides are covered, with a bit of excess hanging over the edges (it will be a handle to easily remove the bars later).
- Combine the almond flour, coconut flour, sliced almonds, pecans, sweetener, salt, and baking soda. Stir well to combine. Stir in softened butter until completely combined. The mixture will clump and form crumbles.
- Transfer 2/3 of the mixture into the lined pan. Press well into the bottom to form a solid base and bake 15-20 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and allow the base to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.
- While the crust bakes, prepare the jam. Cook the strawberries with the stevia, pinch of salt, and glucomann (you can microwave them until broken down and soft or heat over medium-high heat in a small pan on the stovetop, pressing to break them down). Use an immersion blender or standard blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Stir in lemon juice.
- Spread jam on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle with remaining dough, crumbling any large pieces with your fingers so that the top is evenly covered. Bake for 30 minutes at 325º, or until edges bubble and the top is golden.
- Cool at least 2 hours before slicing into 1 inch squares. For clean cuts, refrigerate or freeze the bars first.
Nutrition
Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg