Toffee Bars

M-m-m-m-m, ...after combining relatively few ingredients and then adding some heat, just look... what... happened!

The taste of these baked squares remind me a little of the soda cracker/chocolate treat which I've listed in this blog's CANDY section.  That, or the toffee candy that is made by so many around Christmastime.  

Above: This Toffee Bars recipe comes from my 

very old and much used Betty Crocker cookbook.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Line a 10x15" baking pan with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with non-stick oil.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed  (light brown sugar, or dark brown  sugar)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 of 1.65 oz.Hershey milk chocolate candy bars, broken into 1" pieces  (I used 18-19 of the miniature Hershey bars which I bought in a 10.78 oz. bag on '50% off clearance' after trick or treat season).  
  You can also use milk chocolate chips sprinkled over the top.
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, optional 

DIRECTIONS:

• Cream together the butter and brown sugar (beat for at least 2 minutes to better dissolve the sugar).
• Stir in egg yolk and vanilla, and beat for a few seconds.
• Add the flour and stir only until it is evenly combined.  Dough will be thick.
• Using a spoon, drop little 'splotches' of dough all over on your foiled/sprayed baking pan.  Now, with the back of a dampened spoon,  spread the dough into an even layer. 
  
  Before you start spreading these 'splotches' out, you'll have this... 

• Below:  Bake at 350-degrees for about 15 minutes, OR until it is just a light golden brown.

• Below: Arrange chocolate pieces on hot layer.  Set aside for 5 minutes, while chocolate softens/melts.

• Below: With the back of a spoon, spread the melted chocolate to cover the baked bars. (I use the end of a wooden dowel or handle of a wooden spoon to make swirly designs in the soft chocolate.)

• Below: Sprinkle with some finely chopped pecans, optional.

Let bars cool until chocolate is 'firmed up' (on a cold porch, or in a refrigerator, etc.)  When firm, using the edges of the foil lining, lift the whole slab from the pan.  Remove the foil, put 'the slab' onto a cutting board and cut into squares. I have found that IF my 'slab' is TOO cold/hard when I first try to cut them, they will crack into irregular shapes.  Some people don't mind, but,................since I want neatly cut squares, I let the 'slab' sit at room temperature for maybe 10 minutes before cutting away with a knife (carver's type knife) which is long enough to reach across the pan.

 ♥▼♥