Strawberry-Pretzel Bars

If you’re not from the Southern or Midwestern US, you might not have ever heard of strawberry-pretzel salad, which is the inspiration for these bars. While “salad” is part of the name, fear not—no vegetables or savory dressings are involved. Traditional strawberry-pretzel salad is comprised of a pretzel (and sometimes nut) crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, and a strawberry gelatin topping. Our version features a slightly caramelly sweet-salty crust, a fluffy citrus-infused filling, and fresh berry topping.

Strawberry-Pretzel Bars

Makes 9 to 12 bars

Ingredients

Crust:

1½ cups (210 grams) very finely crushed pretzels½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (73 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar3 tablespoons (24 grams) all-purpose flour

Sauce:

2 cups (340 grams) chopped fresh strawberries¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar2 teaspoons (4 grams) lemon zest1 tablespoon (15 grams) cold water1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) cornstarch

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages (453 grams) cream cheese, softened1½ cups (180 grams) confectioners’ sugar2 teaspoon (2 grams) lemon zest1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract2 cups (480 grams) cold heavy whipping cream1 to 2 drops red gel food coloring (optional)½ pound (226 grams) fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°F). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, letting excess extend over sides of pan. Lightly spray foil with baking spray with flour.

For crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Firmly press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.

Bake until set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze crust until cold.

Meanwhile, for sauce: In a medium nonreactive saucepan, bring strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon zest to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Using a potato masher, mash berries into small pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together1 tablespoon (15 grams) cold water and cornstarch until smooth; whisk into strawberry mixture. Reduce heat to medium; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Press mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Let cool completely.

For filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla; beat at medium-low speed until smooth, stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually add cold cream, beating until combined. Thoroughly scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Gradually increase mixer speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to2 minutes.

Spread one-third of filling (about368 grams) onto cold prepared crust.

Add cooled sauce and food coloring (if using) to remaining filling; beat at low speed just until combined. Gently spread onto filling in pan. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring plastic does not touch filling. Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 6 hours, or up to overnight.

Using excess foil as handles, remove from pan, and top with sliced strawberries just before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The post Strawberry-Pretzel Bars first appeared on Bake from Scratch.

Dessert

Strawberry-Pretzel Bars