Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Streusel Squares (using oats, raspberry preserves and chocolate chips)

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY STREUSEL SQUARES

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup semi sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves (Polaner fruit spread)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine flour, oats, sugars, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture for streusel. Press remaining oat mixture onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.

Spread preserves evenly over hot crust to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup morsels.

Combine reserved oat mixture and almonds, if desired; sprinkle over morsels, patting gently.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired. Let chocolate set before cutting into squares. Store tightly covered.

Makes 24 squares
Source: Polaner