Cooking Light with Giada De Laurentiis: Chocolate Raspberry Bars with White Chocolate and Almonds

These bars are amazing! They really should come with a disclaimer; "Do not eat alone. You will likely eat the entire batch; which may lead to feelings of guilt or disappointment in lack of self-control." I am so serious. It has been awhile since I made a chocolate dessert (a light chocolate dessert) that has been this rich and decadent. The closest by comparison was Paula Deen's "Better Than Sex? YES!" cake. That thing was fabulous as well. If you are craving something sweet and chocolaty, this is a great choice. Permission to indulge; granted.


CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY BARS WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE and ALMONDS
Serves 16

INGREDIENTS:


2/3 cup SMUCKER'S SUGAR FREE  jam (suggested: raspberry or strawberry)


1 (21-ounce) box brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge)


3 eggs ( 1 whole, 2 egg whites)


1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce


1/4 cup water


1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted


1/4 cup chopped salted almonds


DIRECTIONS:


 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with fat free cooking spray.


In a small saucepan, stir the jam constantly over low heat until pourable, about 1 minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together the brownie mix, egg, egg whites, apple sauce, and water. Using an electric hand mixer beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the jam over the top of the brownie batter. Using a small spatula, swirl jam into the brownie batter. Bake for 27 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted about 1-inch from the edge of the pan comes out clean.

Spread with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with salted almonds. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.

Cut into 16 bars and store airtight in a plastic container for up to 1 week.


RESULTS:


This recipe makes for a very simple, beautiful dessert. I couldn't get over how well it turned out! Although I have been eating and cooking lean for some time now, I still know what "real" desserts and other dishes taste like (Yes, I have my splurges. It's all about balance). And with that being said, I really couldn't see how anyone would be able to tell these bars were made with apple sauce instead of oil and sugar free jam instead of the real-deal. And let's not forget how we cut the cholesterol content of the eggs by using only one whole egg, but using just the whites from the other two. Yet, with all those changes, the turnout was still a delicious, semi-homemade dessert that is fit to satisfy every chocolate-lovin' sweet tooth.


ENJOY!

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving): 189.25 calories;  5.14g fat;  35.15g carbohydrate;  3.06g protein; 1.63g fiber

** This recipe was inspired by the Chocolate Raspberry Bars with White Chocolate and Almonds; by Giada De Laurentiis. To view the original, visit her on Food Network.