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food

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

If you combine a strawberry shortcake ice cream pop with a cookie and a bar, you get these delicious treats.

Strawberry Shortcake Bars

Ingredients

  • Bottom crust:
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus 3 tablespoons for dusting
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup Rice Krispies
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance, room temperature
  • Top crust:
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Rice Krispies
  • 3 tablespoons strawberry preserves
  • 3 tablespoons Earth Balance, room temperature
  • Strawberry sauce:
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Cream filling:
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups canned full fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon room temperature Earth Balance
  • 1/2 package firm tofu
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 baking pan with nonstick spray and line with a parchment paper square.
  2. For the bottom crust:
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar and Rice Krispies. Add the Earth Balance, and work it into the dry ingredients until a shortbread-type dough forms. Use the remaining 3 tablespoons to flour your hands to keep from sticking.
  4. Press the crust into the pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
  5. For the top crust:
  6. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar and Rice Krispies. Add the strawberry preserves and butter, and use your fingers to blend until a dough forms. Set aside.
  7. Make the strawberry sauce:
  8. In a small saucepan, mix together the strawberries, preserves, sugar and salt. Heat on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is just boiling and strawberries are breaking down.
  9. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer until mixture thickens up. Transfer strawberry sauce to a food processor, and pulse until smooth. Set aside in the fridge to cool.
  10. Make the cream filling:
  11. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Whisk in the coconut milk, and turn the heat to medium. Stir constantly until it forms a pudding-like consistency and remove from heat.
  12. Using a food processor, pulse the tofu until smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the pieces of tofu blended. Add cooled pudding, Earth Balance, and vanilla extract; pulse until completely smooth. Add more salt and sugar, if needed.
  13. To assemble:
  14. Pour the cream filling into the pre-baked crust, spreading evenly. Pour the strawberry sauce over the cream. Using a butter knife, swirl the cream and strawberry sauce together.
  15. Sprinkle the top crust over the top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown. Allow to fully cool, cover, then place in fridge until ready to serve.