Cherry streusel bars

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I didn’t really make many cherry recipes till this year, when I had so many cherries from the trees from our parent’s garden, that I had to do something about it! So I’ve made a list with the top recipes I liked most. This cherry streusel bars, was one of my favorite-looking recipe. Don’t ask me how I choose them, as I don’t really know, I just have a feeling when something is good and I didn’t go wrong with this one either. So let’s celebrate the last day of June with these delicious, crunchy, healthy bars with cherries, almonds, coconut, vanilla flavor and whole grain flour. It’s perfect for the breakfast with a cup of milk. And if you’re not really convinced already, just have a look at it’s photo shooting!


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Ingredients:
Filling
• 1 cup canned cherries
• 1 cup fresh cherries pitted
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs cherry brandy


Dough and Streusel
• 2 cups whole grain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• vanilla extract
• almond extract
• 3 tbs whole milk
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup ground almonds or walnuts
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds or walnuts


Directions:
Make the filling by combining canned cherries, fresh pitted cherries and the brandy in food processor. Blend to a chunky puree and set aside.
Mix the flour with sugar, cinnamon and salt in food processor then add butter, vanilla and almond extract and mix. Add the milk and mix it until it forms small clumps. Transfer 1 cup for the streusel topping, then mix the remaining dough until it forms bigger clumps, if it doesn’t come together, add a little more milk. Gather dough together then place it on a baking paper for the size of the pan we are gonna use 13X9 inch(33X23 cm), spread it even with a paddle, then place it in the pan. Bake in the oven to 375 F (190 C). Pierce the dough with a fork, allover then bake it until golden for about 15 min. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Keep the oven on.
Mix coconut and almond/walnuts to reserved 1 cup dough.
Spread cherry filling over baked crust and sprinkle streusel topping(I pressed some even bigger clumps in my hands) and the slices of almonds/walnuts.



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Bake until the streusel is golden brown for about 30 min. Let it cool then cut into squares.


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