Bready or Not: Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
I like chocolate.
I like macadamia nuts.
I like shortbread.
I made these nut bars and my husband came home from work and I pretty much shoved a Gladware container at him and said, "HERE. Take them. Get them out of my sight."
He looked down. "What, they didn't turn out well?"
"No. They turned out well. Too well. Take them away! Get them out of my fingers and mouth!"
Really, these replicate a really, really good candy bar or the sort of treat you'd get at a bakery or from a specialty catalog at Christmas. I'm drooling right now as I type and envisioning the perfect buttery-ness of the shortbread contrasted with smooth chocolate and the crunch of macadamia nuts.
Oh, good grief.
I should never prepare these blog posts when I'm starving before lunch.
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
originally found at Relish Magazine
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Caramel and Chocolate:
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2) To prepare the crust: combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or mixer, and mix. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly to make a compact layer. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
3)To prepare the caramel layer: melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly with back of a metal spoon.
4) Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
5) Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute; sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula or back of a spoon. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife. Keep chilled in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM.
I like macadamia nuts.
I like shortbread.
I made these nut bars and my husband came home from work and I pretty much shoved a Gladware container at him and said, "HERE. Take them. Get them out of my sight."
He looked down. "What, they didn't turn out well?"
"No. They turned out well. Too well. Take them away! Get them out of my fingers and mouth!"
Really, these replicate a really, really good candy bar or the sort of treat you'd get at a bakery or from a specialty catalog at Christmas. I'm drooling right now as I type and envisioning the perfect buttery-ness of the shortbread contrasted with smooth chocolate and the crunch of macadamia nuts.
Oh, good grief.
I should never prepare these blog posts when I'm starving before lunch.
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
originally found at Relish Magazine
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Caramel and Chocolate:
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2) To prepare the crust: combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or mixer, and mix. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly to make a compact layer. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
3)To prepare the caramel layer: melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly with back of a metal spoon.
4) Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
5) Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute; sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula or back of a spoon. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife. Keep chilled in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM.