Toffee Talk: These Bars are Like Buttah

Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies

by Alice Medrich
ISBN: 978-1579653972 

Here is a recipe for a treat I took into work a few weeks ago. 

These were very easy and very tasty. There aren't a lot of ingredients either. Just make sure you have enough butter though. This recipe calls for a total of 2 and 1/2 sticks. And please, do use real butter. 

I only had chopped pecans when I made these and I don't think it makes any difference. I sprinkled the chocolate chips over the top and spread them around once melted. After it cooled I thought the bars looked a little plain so I used some of the leftover white chocolate chips from the taste test. I just melted them in the microwave, spooned them into a zipper bag, cut off the corner and drizzled the white chocolate over the bars.




 

Yields 24.   

Preheat oven to 350. 

Rack position: lower third of the oven.

You Will Need:

9 x 13 metal pan, the bottom and all 4 sides lined with foil

an additional 9 x 13 piece of foil

 

The Crust:

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/3 cup (2.33 ounces) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 cups (7 ounces) pecan halves

Cut the butter into chunks and melt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and mix just until incorporated. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. Scatter the pecans over the dough without pressing them into it. Lay the extra piece of foil loosely over the nuts to allow them to toast without burning while the crust is baking.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the crust is lightly browned at the edges. While the crust is baking make the topping.

The Topping:

1 Tablespoon water

3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) packed light brown sugar

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 chunks

2/3 to 1 cup milk chocolate chips or 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Combine the water and brown sugar in a small saucepan, and whisk until the sugar is moistened. Heat the mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the butter and remove from the heat. When the crust is ready, whisk the topping until smooth. Remove the foil from the crust and scrape the hot butter mixture over the pecans on the crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the topping is dark and bubbling vigorously.

Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the top. (Or melt and drizzle the chocolate decoratively over the bars after they have cooled.)

Cool the bars in the pan on a rack. Lift the ends of the foil liner and transfer to a cutting board. Use a long sharp knife to cut into 24 bars. May be kept in an airtight container for at least 1 week.

I tend to bake on a whim. Late at night, first thing in the morning, in the middle of doing a bazillion loads of laundry. So I'm not usually prepared enough to have pulled things out of the fridge to soften before I start baking. This is the perfect recipe for that since the butter is melted during the preparation.

My Review:

Ease of preparation, Time to prepare, Taste: 5 out of 5

Would I make this again?: Oh yes!