What to do when your blood orange bars crack something fierce and turn out a weird, strange color but somehow are still so delicious?
Cover them with more blood oranges and chocolate drizzle!
Shhh. You know nothing.
Seriously though… these bars were delicious but omg the filling turned out the most bizarre color. I can’t explain it…. I am mystified. They also cracked like crazy (are they trying to emulate the fault lines on top of which I very nearly live? I would hope not) – I might have cooled them too fast – outside, at 6am – but… I had to go to work. Desperate times.
BUT, all’s well that ends well, since they’re delicious and I somehow juiced all the blood oranges without getting blood orange splatter all over my kitchen walls. I did get some on myself that I didn’t discover until I got to work, but that’s neither here nor there and no one noticed…
Thank heavens it’s the weekend! This has been a long couple of weeks (month? ugh).
This weekend though – no complaints! It’s been lovely so far, and it’s only Saturday. I took a long, coffee-fueled hike/walk in Golden Gate Park today, which was just perfect as it’s been a long time since I doodled around over there.
Here again we have a dessert-breakfast-breakfast-dessert situation that does duty for whatever time of day in which it finds itself.
We ate it with ice cream for dessert (it was bomb) and then again alongside eggs & caponata for breakfast (yes, it’s blurry – it’s not you!)
However you slice it, these bars are delicious, odd color notwithstanding. Blood orange season is short, so grab them while you can! Thinly sliced, I think they look like stained glass – they are one of my favorites.
Happy Saturday!
Blood Orange Bars on a Chocolate Coconut Crust
Gluten & grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free, pretty much paleo. Tart but sweet – it’s hard to argue with the iconic combination of orange and chocolate. Blood oranges take it up a notch, and are so beautiful! A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ pie dish; serves 2-8.
For the crust:
1.75 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened cacao powder
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3.5 tbsp coconut oil, melted
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″, deep pie plate with coconut oil. Alternatively, you could use a tart ring with a removable bottom – I needed to transport mine so opted for just keeping it in a less fussy dish.
In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, cacao powder, coconut, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 17 minutes.
For the filling:
4 eggs
1/4 c pure maple syrup
zest of 3 blood oranges, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh blood orange juice
pinch of sea salt
4 tbsp coconut flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the topping:
1 blood orange, thinly sliced
3 tbsp extra dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
While the crust is baking, make the filling! In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, maple, orange zest and juice, sea salt, coconut flour (sifted if lumpy) and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling into the par-baked crust.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top should be mostly firm and the filling set, with just a small amount of wiggle (it’ll firm up as it cools). Let cool completely and eat immediately or chill in the fridge for later (I like them cold!). Once cool, top with a thinly sliced blood orange. Combine the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and microwave on 30 second intervals until melted, stirring between intervals. Drizzle over finished tart.
Serve with vanilla ice cream :) Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Wait...are those...cookies?! 