Club + Resort Chef

  • Home
  • Clubs
  • Resorts
  • Recipes
  • 40 Under 40
    • Class of 2025
    • Class of 2024
    • Order: Commemorative Plaque
  • Master Class
  • Documentaries
    • Watch: Inside Ocean Reef
    • Watch: All Ships Rise
  • Certification
  • Resources
    • PlateCraft
    • Chef to Chef
    • C+R Talks
    • Salary Survey Data
    • C+RC Association
    • Digital Issues
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Decadent Dessert Bars

By Joanna DeChellis, Editorial Director, Club + Resort Chef | July 6, 2015

Walnut Jewel Squares

Walnut Jewel Squares

The simplicity and deliciousness of these geometric treats leave members drooling.

Even though she’s only been at The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington (D.C.) for less than a month, Jennifer Kopp, Executive Pastry Chef, is well aware of the power and impact that a delicious dessert bar can have on members and guests.

Before moving to the District, Kopp was the pastry chef for more than 13 years at Chevy Chase (Md.) Club, where dessert bars were a staple at outdoor events, as well as on buffets.

“Dessert bars are portable, pretty and easy to eat,” says Kopp. “Plus, if you cut them the right size, members or guests can enjoy the intense flavor of a bite-sized sweet, without the guilt of indulging in a full slice of cake.”

Some of Kopp’s favorite bars include:

  • Raspberry hazelnut linzer squares—Made with a hazelnut dough, these squares feature homemade raspberry jam in the center and a piped hazelnut cookie lattice on top
  • Magic cookie bars—A favorite with kids, these cookie bars feature a graham cracker crust, coconut, chocolate chips and pecans, all held together with a sweetened condensed milk custard.
  • Raspberry or cranberry oat bars—To make these, Kopp presses a traditional streusel into the bottom of a pan and par-bakes it. She then spreads on a layer of raspberry jam or cranberry compote, or even caramelized diced apples. After that, she tops it with more streusel, and bakes it until golden brown. Once set, she sprinkles the bars with powdered sugar.

“Dessert bars are a mainstay of any pastry operation—especially as members look for smaller bites and tapas-style sweets,” Kopp says. “Bars fit well within that category.”

Brandi Edinger, Executive Pastry Chef of the Army Navy Country Club (Fairfax, Va.), agrees.
Edinger came to Army Navy a little over a year ago. In that time, she’s taken the operation from having no pastry department to now having a scratch pastry kitchen. (The club still purchases pastry products for banquets.)

“Dessert bars are great for grab-and-go,” says Edinger.

Some of her favorites include:

  • Strawberry rhubarb oatmeal bars—This bar, which is also vegan, is made with an oatmeal streusel. (Edinger replaces the butter with coconut oil.) She then layers on a homemade strawberry rhubarb compote, and tops it with more streusel.
  • Salted caramel pretzel bars—The salt from the pretzels have a big impact on these bars, which are made by crunching up pretzels with butter to make a crust, then topping that with homemade caramel.
  • German chocolate cookie bars—Similar to the classic cake, these bars feature a brownie crust below a sweet coconut filling. They are topped with toasted coconut and a drizzle of chocolate.

“We sell our bars for $2 each in our café,” says Edinger, who cuts them into three-inch squares. “For clubs that don’t have a pastry department, traditional bars, like brownies or blondies, are a simple way to offer members a homemade sweet.”

About The Author

Joanna DeChellis, Editorial Director, Club + Resort Chef

As Editorial Director of Club + Resort Chef, Joanna DeChellis takes an audience-first approach that combines sound journalistic and story-telling principles with an appreciation for and deep knowledge of the intricacies of the club and resort chef market. She oversees the content strategy and programming for Club + Resort Chef and its various platforms including the Chef to Chef Conference. She has penned award-winning pieces about the many intricacies within club and resort food and beverage operations as well as culinary trends, profiles and breaking news. She is co-host of the award-winning podcast Club + Resort Talks, and has served in various content-development roles over the course of her career, including digital, marketing, print, and in-person events. She oversees the Club + Resort Chef Association, the Chef to Chef Conference and PlateCraft. Prior to these roles, she was the Managing Editor of Club + Resort Business, Associate Editor of Food Management Magazine and a contributing writer for Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News, Gayot, Cleveland Scene Magazine, and Duetto. Contact her at [email protected].

Related Articles Read More >

The Rising Cost of Pastry-Making
Small Yet Mighty: How Donuts, Muffins and More Maximize Their Potential
Students of Life: In the Kitchen and Classroom
Cookie Comfort: Greensburg CC’s Pastry Chef Pairs Oreo and Ube

PlateCraft

https://youtu.be/9kF2hijL4ek

Chef to Chef Conference

https://youtu.be/aOZc9QDWWWk

C+RC Newsletter

Club + Resort Chef Association

Elevate Your Club and Career: Join CRCA

C+RC Association Join the Club + Resort Chef Association to connect with a network of elite club culinary professionals and access exclusive resources and certifications designed to elevate your skills and career. Embrace the opportunity to showcase your talent, learn from industry leaders, and stay at the forefront of club culinary.

C+RC Digital Issues

Club & Resort Business Browse the latest and archived issues of the premier magazine for club and resort culinary teams, available in a user-friendly and high-quality format. Enjoy the convenience of bookmarking, sharing, and engaging with the top culinary content tailored for club and resort chefs.

Club + Resort Chef
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Submit a Recipe
  • Club & Resort Chef Association
  • Club & Resort Business

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Club + Resort Chef

  • Home
  • Clubs
  • Resorts
  • Recipes
  • 40 Under 40
    • Class of 2025
    • Class of 2024
    • Order: Commemorative Plaque
  • Master Class
  • Documentaries
    • Watch: Inside Ocean Reef
    • Watch: All Ships Rise
  • Certification
  • Resources
    • PlateCraft
    • Chef to Chef
    • C+R Talks
    • Salary Survey Data
    • C+RC Association
    • Digital Issues
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe