Cranberry Bliss Bars, Coconut Cream Cheese, Almost Sugar Free

Our favorite dessert needs a make over for family members who say no to most types of sugar and the only acceptable dairy is butter.

Let's see how this goes...



Here is the cookie bar layer after it is baked.  It is cooling and waiting for toppings.  I put the dried cranberries in before they cooled so that was an oops.  Tomorrow I will make the topping and finish this.  I'll add more photos after the holidays.

Coconut Cream Cheese, Almost Sugar Free, Cranberry Bliss Bars

by Norita

Coconut Cream Cheese

Start 4 days to one week ahead.

Scoop solid separated coconut cream from coconut water out of one can of organic coconut milk.

It may be challenging to find a can that has separated enough.  Ideally, it would be in the fridge for a several days before scooping out the cream.

Bring solid, separated coconut cream to room temp in a sterile glass dish with lid.

Add 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup and 1 capsule probiotic powder.

Stir and let sit with lid on at room temp for 24 hours.

Refrigerate until use.

Dried Cranberries (no sugar)

One day ahead:

One bag of fresh cranberries

Boil a saucepan of water.

Turn off burner and place cranberries in the water so they split open.

Remove from water with slotted spoon and put on a rimmed oven proof pan.

Any cranberries that did not split open may be poked with a sterilized straight pin.

Mix cranberries with 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Dry cranberries for 3 hours at 225 degrees.   Leave in oven for several hours with oven turned off.

Cool completely before using in the recipe.

Cookie Bar Layer

1/2 cup room temp butter

3/4 cup Swerve Brown Sugar (Erythritol)

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 1/4 cup sprouted whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Himalyan salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

2 Tablespoons zest from clementines

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Mix together, spread into flat bottom Demarle flower mold 8 to 9 inches in diameter and tuck in evenly spaced:

2.5 ounces Blanc Satin white chocolate discs from Alexander's Classic Chocolates

Note: This white chocolate is the ingredient that has sugar in it so I reduced it by 1/2

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cool completely.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter

4 ounces coconut cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup Swerve white sugar (Erythritol)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoon clementine zest

Combine ingredients and beat until fluffy.  Spread on top of cooled bars.

Topping

3 Tablespoons chopped dried cranberries, sprinkled on top of frosting

1 Tablespoon clementine zest, sprinkled on top of cranberries

4 ounces of Alexander's Toasted Chocolate nibs melted in double boiler and sweetened with
1/4 cup pure maple syrup. 
Drizzle over the top of bars.

Transfer to cutting board and cut in small wedges to serve.

Note:  This was a total success.  Just as good or better than the original recipe full of sugar and flour.