Gonzo Bars

Maybe it’s the rain outside…maybe it’s the smoke I see coming from my neighbors chimney (jealous!)…or, maybe it’s just the fact that it’s winter, and I’m in hibernation mode. Whatever it is, I’ve got a mad case of the munchies. Not just any kind of munchies though, I’ve got the sophisticated munchies. I want to shovel food into my mouth, but I want said food to be fancy and delicious. It’s actually the best kind of munchies to have. Instead of settling for trail mix (that I already ate all the good stuff out of), I’m going to give my insatiable appetite the cold shoulder and bake something taaaaaasty.

I literally have no idea how to describe these. My friend asked me what I was making, and the best I could come up with was the all intriguing, “duuuuhhhhhhhh, it’s kind of an…sort of a…it’s something.”  Seriously though, it’s like describing what Gonzo is from the Muppets. You have to use a list of pre-existing animals to describe him. So, in honor of that beloved Muppet, I give you Gonzo Bars.  Part snickerdoodle, part magic bar, part blackberry cobbler? Enjoy!

GONZO BARS:

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes

Makes a 9″ x 9″ pan

Crust:

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

2 tbs flour

1/2 cup melted butter

Combine ingredients and press into a greased and foiled 9″ x 9″ pan. Bake for about ten minutes

Ganache:

1 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbs vanilla extract

Just barely bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour over chocolate in a different bowl. Let sit for about 15 seconds then whisk! Add vanilla and whisk again until smooth.

Gently spread the ganache over the graham cracker crust and let cool.

Dough:

Combine:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Add:

3/4 cup butter (room temp)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix until combined into small clumps. Sprinkle a little more than half the dough on the cooled ganache.

Add:

1 1/2 cup blackberries

Throw on the blackberries and sprinkle the remaining dough on top. Bake for about 2o minutes or until nice and golden. Make sure you let this dish cool before taking it out of the pan. The chocolate ganache needs to harden, otherwise they will fall apart. It’s worth the wait. I promise.