Chocolate-Cherry Fudge Bars

By allie5jones

Ingredients

• 4 squares Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. flour
• 1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O chocolate flavor instant pudding and pie filling
• 3/4 c. chopped maraschino cherries with 7 tbsp. of the juice reserved, divided
• 2 oz. (1/4 of 8 oz. pkg.) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil. Set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add granulated sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and dry pudding mix; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cherries and 1/3 cup of the reserved cherry juice; spread into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not over bake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and remaining cherry juice until well blended. Drizzle over cooled dessert; top with remaining 1/4 cup cherries. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into bars. Store any leftovers in tightly covered container in refrigerator.