Anna Sultana’s Three Colour Bar Cookies with Ganache, Maltese Style

I recently posted the recipe for Ma’s Double Chocolate Cake and suggested it would be a nice dessert for ending a holiday feast.

A friend told me she’d had her fill of feasts, thank you very much, and was just going to serve veggie and cold cut platters, cookies and coffee.

Of course there’d be something bubbly at midnight.

Fair enough - feasts for some, snacks for others.

Ma’s Double Chocolate Cake and Ma's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Topping 

both have chocolate ganache.

So does Ma’s recipe for Three Colour Bar Cookies.

Along with the chocolate, there’s almond paste in the cookies, so there’s a bit of ‘something special’ oomph in them.

The Three Colour Bar Cookies would look nice on a platter, along with Ma’s Truffles and Ma's Christmas Cookies.

And, for something to drink, why not serve Carmela Soprano's Spiked Egg Nog as well as Carmela's Candy Cane Martini. 

Happy New Year!!

Hints:

You can substitute chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate or milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips when making the ganache.

For a mocha touch, add 2 or 3 Tablespoons strong coffee.

White chocolate also works well, too.

Mint chocolate can give a nice holiday touch, especially if you add a sprinkling of crushed candy canes.

If you’re preparing these cookies for a party that has a special colour theme you can use colouring to match, if you wish.

Or you could have just the middle stripe coloured.

                        Three Colour Bar Cookies with Ganache

Grease a 9×13 inch pan

Preheat oven to 350º F

Makes 30 bars

In a medium bowl combine

2 Cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a large mixer bowl place

1 1/4 Cups butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

7 ounces almond paste

1 teaspoon almond extract

Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Beat in, one at a time

3 large eggs

Beat in flour mixture.

Pour one third of the batter into the prepared 9×13 inch baking pan.

Place the pan in the freezer and let sit for 5 minutes.

While the pan with one third of the batter is in the freezer:

Pour half of the remaining batter into a medium bowl.

Add to one bowl:

green food colouring

Add to the second bowl:

red food colouring

Use as much or as little colouring as you wish.

After the 5 minutes, gently spread the green batter over the batter in the pan.

Freeze the pan for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan and gently spread the red batter over the green batter.

Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes.

A toothpick inserted near the centre should come out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely.

Spread evenly over the baked and cooled batter

1 Cup seedless raspberry jam

Chocolate Ganache

Place a small bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Place in the bowl

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 Cup heavy cream or half and half

Melt together over low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the ganache over the jam layer and spread with a spatula.

Allow the chocolate to set.

Cut into 30 bars.