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Layered Chocolate Nougat Bars Recipe – Bajadera (Bah-Ya-Deh-Rah)

by Katerina

4.50 from 2 votes

Dec 21, 2015, Updated May 02, 2021

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This is an older recipe from the Diethood Archives, now updated with fresh content and photos. Original post/recipe published on December 23, 2010.

Layered Chocolate Nougat Bars – Chocolate, graham crackers, and hazelnuts come together to create the most perfect no-bake dessert bar.

The weather outside is frightful, but my cookies look so delightful, and since I have no place to go (because I’m stuck in the kitchen), let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Except, it’s not snowing. BUT, the wind is soooo loud, making that horror-movie sound, which should totally explain my “frightful” reference. :-/ 

Hey YA! Happy Monday, you guys! Can you believe it? We only have DAYS! Things are going DOWN, friends! Not even a week until the big day. I don’t know how it always sneaks up on me, but it does. My brain feels just a little bit fried, thinking about, “what should I get him?” “what should I get her?” “what should I get them?” Aye aye aye. Too much thinking. Can’t I just give everyone gift-cards??? They say it’s impersonal… I say, bla bla bla. I’ll take a gift card over a pair of Santa socks any day. So that’s that.

What do you think? Is this not the most perfect dessert? Mostly because it’s no bake? And chocolaty? Too many questions?? M’kay.

I first shared these chocolate nougat bars with you ages ago, back in 2010.

As I was making a batch of these lovelies for *this* Christmas Season, I decided to snap a few pics and update zee good ol’ recipe because, I somehow got better at photographing food.
Apparently, editing in Photoshop was my only saving grace back then, but I didn’t even know how to do that, either. Whatev. Live and learn, ya know?

Anywho. Lemme tell you a bit about Bajadera, a.k.a. Layered Chocolate Nougat Bars. 

This dessert comes from my home country, Macedonia. BUT, it’s not just native to Macedonia. Let’s just say that, there are as many Bajadera recipes out there as there are cooks in the entire Balkan Peninsula. We all have a version of it and I’m not gonna judge because, all the recipes are pretty amazing. (Mine is best )

What you’re looking at are simple layers of cookie crumbs and chocolate melted in a bath of simple syrup. There’s hazelnuts and butter in there, too, for good measure. Probably not the most waist-friendly dessert, however, if you stick to just eating one bar, maybe two, you’re good to go.

Basically, If you need an out-of-this-world no-bake chocolate dessert-bar, this is it. Hands.Down. (hyphen much?!)

ENJOY!

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4.50 from 2 votes

Layered Chocolate Nougat Bars

by Katerina | Diethood

Chocolate, graham crackers, and hazelnuts come together to create the most perfect no-bake dessert bar.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups ground honey graham crackers, (2 sleeves)
• ▢ 2 cups ground hazelnuts
• ▢ 1/2 cup water
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 2 sticks, (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 4- ounces dark chocolate, (60% cacao), melted

FOR THE TOP CHOCOLATE LAYER (GLAZE)

• ▢ 2 tablespoons milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 4- ounces dark chocolate, (60% cacao)
• ▢ sea salt, , optional

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Instructions 

• Line a 8x8 baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the sides; set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, and butter; place over medium heat and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves and butter melts.
• Stir in the ground crackers and hazelnuts; stir mixture until completely combined.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Divide batter into two equal parts.
• Pour melted chocolate into one of the batters.
• Transfer only HALF of the chocolate batter to previously prepared pan.
• Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it sets.
• Spread the light-colored batter over the chocolate batter; freeze for 15 minutes or until it sets.
• Add the remaining chocolate batter over the top; place in freezer for 15 minutes, or until set.

In the meantime, prepare the top chocolate layer.

• Combine milk, powdered sugar and butter in a saucepan; cook and stir over medium-high heat until butter melts.
• Remove from heat; add chocolate, and stir until chocolate melts.
• Spread chocolate mixture evenly over bajadera.
• Refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Using the overhang as handles, remove bajadera from pan; using a sharp knife, cut into 24 bars.
• Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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