These Ragusa Cookie Bars have become a favorite in my household. They combine Ragusa, a popular Swiss chocolate bar, with one of my favorite American treats, chocolate chip cookie bars. This sweet, comforting bake is easy to throw together for a quick afternoon snack.
Chocolaterie Camille Bloch first introduced Ragusa to Switzerland in 1942. This rectangular bar has a praline filling with whole hazelnuts, surrounded by chocolate. It comes in three different types: Classique, Noir and Blond.
Ragusa Cookie Bars
Inspired by and adapted from a recipe in my favorite Betty Crocker cookbook.
INGREDIENTS
225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
200 g (1 cup) sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1-2 tablespoons coffee, brewed and cooled
1 large egg
350 g (2 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
140 g (1 cup) whole hazelnuts
250 g (about 2 cups) Ragusa, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line a rectangular pan (about 23 x 33 cm or 9 x 13 inches) with parchment paper and set aside. (Tip: smear a little butter on the pan first so the parchment paper sticks to the pan).
- Cream together the butter, sugar, coffee and molasses in a large bowl. Then, add the egg and mix until it becomes completely incorporated.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the large bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir everything together just until combined; do not overmix. Roughly chop the hazelnuts. Add them and the chopped Ragusa to the large bowl. Stir everything together just until these final ingredients become evenly distributed.
- Spread the dough evenly into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for about 25-30 minutes.
Categories: chocolate, cookies, Dessert, Recipe, Swiss, Swiss food, Switzerland