 A bar made of coconut shavings, caramel, chocolate and butterscotch chips, almond pieces, and an Oreo cookie crust | |
| Alternative names | Bar, square |
|---|---|
| Type | Dessert |
| Place of origin | United States, Canada |
| Region or state | Midwestern United States |
| Main ingredients | Sugar, eggs, butter, flour, milk |
Dessert bars or simply bars or squares are a type of American "bar cookie" that has the texture of a firm cake or softer than usual cookie.[1] They are prepared in a pan and then baked in the oven. They are cut into squares or rectangles.[2] They are staples of bake sales and are often made for birthdays. They are especially popular during the holidays, but many people eat them all year. Many coffee shops and bakeries also offer the treats. Popular flavors include peanut butter bars, lemon bars, chocolate coconut bars,[3] pineapple bars, apple bars, almond bars, toffee bars,[4] chocolate cheesecake bars[1] and the "famous"[2] seven-layer bar. In addition to sugar, eggs, butter, flour and milk, common ingredients are chocolate chips, nuts, raspberry jam, coconut, cocoa powder, graham cracker, pudding, mini-marshmallows and peanut butter.[4] More exotic bars can be made with ingredients including sour cream, rhubarb, pretzels, candies, vanilla, raisins, and pumpkin. The Nanaimo bar is a bar dessert that requires no baking and is named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
In parts of Canada, dessert bars are called "dainties"[5] and typically include unique staples of Canadian cuisine such as Nanaimo bars, butter tarts, and confetti squares.
Popular belief holds that lemon squares originated in Trinidad and Tobago.[6]
- ^ a b Bodger, Lorraine (2000). The Four-Sided Cookie. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-20675-8. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
- ^ a b Thorkelson, Berit (2005). You Know You're in Minnesota When...: 101 Quintessential Places, People, Events, Customs, Lingo, and Eats of the North Star State. The Globe Pequot Press. ISBN 0-7627-3895-2.
- ^ Buckert, Emily (24 December 1998). "Good Taste: Quick Dessert Bar". The Victoria Advocate. p. 23. Retrieved 30 January 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Siegfried, Susie (2006). Church Potluck Carry-ins and Casseroles: Homestyle Recipes for Church Suppers, Family Gatherings, and Community Celebrations. Adams Media. ISBN 1-59337-549-2. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
- ^ "The Winnipeg O' My Heart Glossary of Terms « Winnipeg O' My Heart".
- ^ Fertig, Judith M. (1999). Prairie Home Cooking: 400 Recipes that Celebrate the Bountiful Harvests, Creative Cooks, and Comforting Foods of the American Heartland. Harvard Common Press. ISBN 1-55832-145-4.