Fruit & Chocolate Dream Squares

Four layers of flavor stacked in one rich bar cookie: a shortbread crust on the bottom, a slick of raspberry jam, a blanket of milk chocolate chips, and a brown sugar pecan streusel crumbled over the top.

The crust bakes first until just set, not browned. That initial bake firms it up so it can support the weight of everything piled on top without going soggy under the jam. If you overbake the crust, the finished squares will be too hard and crumbly to cut cleanly.

As the streusel bakes over the chocolate, the chips melt into a fudgy layer that fuses everything together. When cooled, each square has a snap from the crust, chewiness from the jam and chocolate, and a sandy crunch on top.

Pro Tips

• Press the crust firmly and evenly into the pan. Thin spots will overbake while thick spots stay doughy.
• Use a light hand with the streusel topping. You want coarse, pea-sized crumbs, not packed clumps. The butter should be cut in until just shaggy.
• Let the squares cool completely before cutting. The chocolate layer needs to set, or you’ll pull it apart and make a mess.
• A bench scraper gives the cleanest cuts. Wipe the blade between slices.

Variations

• Swap raspberry jam for apricot preserves and use dark chocolate chips for a bittersweet, tangy combination.
• Replace pecans with sliced almonds or walnuts depending on what’s in the pantry.
• Add a drizzle of white chocolate over the cooled squares for a bakery-style finish.