Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Crumb Bars

• Cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups dried cherries, chopped coarsely
• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, set aside 2 tablespoons and cut the rest into small cubes
• 1 cup white sugar, divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder–we used Ghirardelli
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (about 3 ounces), lightly toasted–we used sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups plus 7 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry-flavored liqueur (optional)
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
• Parchment paper

PREPARATION:

• Toast coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange shredded coconut on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Coarsely chop dried cherries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 9″ square pan with foil or parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.
3. Bring cherries, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup white sugar and 2/3 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been almost all absorbed – about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup white sugar. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, salt, brown sugar, toasted coconut, and 2 cups flour. With a pastry blender or your fingertips, mix in the remaining cubed butter until it resembles coarse meal. Measure 3 lightly packed cups cocoa mixture and press into the lined 9″ pan. Bake until just set, about 20 minutes.
5. Place egg, remaining 1/2 cup white sugar, and kirsch into an electric mixer bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment until pale, about 4 minutes. Gently fold in the cherry mixture and the remaining 7 1/2 teaspoons flour. Stir in chocolate chunks. Spread this mixture evenly over crust and then top with the remaining cocoa mixture.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean – a few crumbs attached is okay – about 50 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan by lifting out the foil or parchment paper. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.