Pumpkin Magic Bars

My daughter and I spent lots of time baking Fall treats in the kitchen while she was on break from school last week.  She loves to bake and I love to have her help me in the kitchen.  (Not to mention how much easier it is to take pictures when someone else is doing the messy work.)  One afternoon we decided to make Pumpkin 7-Layer Magic Bars.  The recipe came from www.bakersroyale.com and I figured anything with toasted coconut and chocolate chips and pumpkin had to be good. 

Pumpkin 7-Layer Magic Bars

Makes one 8×8 pan | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling with a 1 inch over hang.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 whole crackers)
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 11 oz. golden delicious apples, shredded (about 2 regular size apples)
• 11/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup salted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:
Combine graham crackers and butter  and stir until well blended.

Press mixture onto bottom of pan.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and stir until well combined.

 
Pour mixture over graham cracker crust.

Peel and core apples. Use the large side of the  grating box to shred the apples.

Layer shredded apples on the sweetened sweetened condensed milk.

 
Sprinkle on chocolate chips, followed by the almonds.  (I completely forgot the almonds.)

Finish by sprinkling coconut on top.

Place assembled pan in the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes.

 

Let cool in pan completely and then transfer finished pan to the refrigerator to chill before cutting.

 

Sometimes, I need to learn to trust my instincts.  I knew when I read this recipe that adding grated apple to the mix was going to add too much moisture but for some reason, I went against my better judgement and followed the directions and added the apple.  As I suspected, the bars came out really soft in the center.  I cooked them longer than the directions indicated and I even refrigerated them overnight before I cut them and they were still too moist in the middle.  I was disappointed in myself for not trusting my instincts that told me that is was going to be too wet. 

 

Needless to say that didn't stop us from eating them.  (There were no raw eggs in the batter or anything that would be dangerous to eat in this form.)  Even though the bars were messy and gooey, we ate every last one.  I will make these again and next time I'm going to leave out the apple and see if I get better results.

Ciao!

Pumpkin 7-Layer Magic Bars

Makes one 8×8 pan | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Create a foil sling with a 1 inch over hang.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 whole crackers)
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 11 oz. golden delicious apples, shredded (about 2 regular size apples)
• 11/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup salted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine graham crackers and butter  and stir until well blended. Press mixture onto bottom of pan
2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and stir until well combined. Pour mixture over graham cracker crust.
3. Peel and core apples. Use the large side of the  grating box to shred the apples. Layer shredded apples on the sweetened sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle on chocolate chips, followed by the almonds and then finish by sprinkling coconut on top.
4. Place assembled pan in the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes. Let cool in pan completely and then transfer finished pan to the refrigerator to chill before cutting.