LOOKING for: Bar cookie w/multiple layers

17 years ago

We went to the Fall Festival at the church tonight. This is the one for which I baked the Chunky Orange Marmalade Cookies. I think everyone else on the planet also took cookies, bars, cupcakes, pies, cakes, brownies, and whatever else is sweet because that booth was overflowing with goodies.

I bought a bar cookie for which I'd love to find a recipe. The bottom layer is like shortbread and about 1/4-inch thick. The middle layer is chocolate (probably semi-sweet chocolate). The top layer is what I'm not sure about -- it contains chopped walnuts and may also include brown sugar, an egg or two (to hold it together), probably vanilla... and I'm stumped for what else. This layer is chewy and resembles the top of a pecan pie in color (but without the pecans).

The bar is to-die-for delicious.

Anyone have a recipe for something like this? If I can find one it will definitely go on the Christmas tray this year.

Thanks,

Jen

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Comments (7)

ginger_st_thomas
17 years ago
Sounds like a variation of Carmelitas. Not sure if this is it or not but this is worth posting anyway:
CARMELITAS (makes 48)
1 cup + 3 TBL flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
12 TBL butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp baking soda
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3/4 cup butterscotch topping

Preheat oven to 350Â°. Mix together 1 cup of the flou, the oats, sugar, butter, salt & baking soda. Pat 1/2 of this mixture into a 9x12" baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from teh oven & sprinkle w/the chocolate chips & nuts. Mix the butterscotch topping with the remaining 3 TBL flour & warm slightly in a small pan. Drizzle over the nuts & chocolate chips. Cover w/the remaining oat/sugar mixture. Bake 20 more minutes. Cool & cut into bars.~~Celebrate
jenn
Original Author
17 years ago
Those sound delicious, Ginger. But it doesn't sound the same. The bottom layer of the one I bought is definitely like shortbread (butter, flour, sugar), and no oats. The top layer reminds me of the top of a pecan pie but with walnuts instead, not quite as gooey though, just chewy.

But your recipe is a keeper anyway -- thanks!

Jen
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Janet, what a story and what a test of tact that must have been. Ann, I love shortbread. If anyone wants to start a fan club, I'm there. I didn't have time earlier to post it, but has anyone tried Regan Daley's Butter-Toffee Crunch Shortbread from "In the Sweet Kitchen"? It is the most incredibly rich brown sugar shortbread variation. I don't make it often; I have to be sure I have lots of recipients lined up first so I don't keep too much in the house. It's deadly to diets. BUTTER-TOFFEE CRUNCH SHORTBREAD Makes 50 3-inch fingers "Awfully impressive, and dead easy, this is just a good basic brown sugar Scottish shortbread recipe, enhanced with butterscotch and toffee bits. As with any shortbread, the quality and freshness of the butter and flour make all the difference in the flavour and texture. Use the best, and make sure they're fresh. This makes a large batch, perfect for giving, and the shortbread keeps very well in airtight tins. If desired, the recipe can be reduced by half." 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 2/3 cup rice flour, or substitute cornstarch if rice flour is unavailable 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups (3/4 pound) fresh unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 tablespoons fruit sugar or superfine sugar 6 tablespoons tightly packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup miniature butterscotch chips 2/3 cups English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits (available in the baking sections of most supermarkets) Additional unsalted butter for greasing pan Preheat the oven to 325° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan. Line the bottom and up the two long sides with a piece of parchment paper. Leave about a 1-inch overhang over the sides to make removing the cooled shortbread easier. Sift the all-purpose and rice flour together with the salt and set aside. In the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, beat the butter until very smooth. Gradually add the sugars and cream the mixture until it is very light and fluffy. If using a mixer, transfer the creamed butter-sugar mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition before adding the next. Use your fingers to knead the final portion of dry ingredients into the dough, keeping your palms off the dough as much as possible, so the warmth doesn't turn the butter oily. When the last of the flour is fully blended, add the butterscotch and toffee bits and knead them into the dough until they are evenly distributed. I should warn you at this point, that this dough now smells better than any cookie dough you have ever experienced. Restrain yourself; you will do yourself no favors devouring the entire mess at this point, and the baking doesn't take that long. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan and use the back of a metal spoon to smooth the surface. Prick the dough all over with a fork and set the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the shortbread for about 45 minutes, then prick the dough again to release any trapped air. Return the pan to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown, and the center feels just firm to the touch. The shortbread will set to a very firm biscuit as it cooks, so it must be cut while it is still warm. Cool the pan on a wire rack for 7 to 8 minutes, then run a sharp paring knife around the outside of the dough to loosen the edges. Make two long cuts in the shortbread, dividing it evenly into three rectangles, each cut beginning and ending at a short side of the pan. Cutting from long side to long side, cut the rectangles into about ¾-inch wide fingers, wiping the knife on a clean towel between each cut, as it gets sticky and can pull and tear the cooling shortbread. Leave the fingers to cool completely in the pan, then re-cut and transfer them to airtight tins. This shortbread can be frozen before or after it is baked. Freeze the dough pressed into the prepared pan, well wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, without disturbing the wrapping, and bake directly from the refrigerator. The baking time may have to be increased by a few minutes to compensate for the chilled dough. Freeze the cooled fingers in airtight bags or containers, layering between sheets of waxed or parchment paper and wrapping the whole tin or container with aluminum foil. Thaw the entire package, without removing the wrapping, at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours. I haven't previously frozen the dough, but I do intend to do that this year. Very handy for the holidays. Carol
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roselin32
17 years ago
Here are some bars that I make that have the chocolate on top:
Butter Pecan Bars
Combine with a pastry cutter:
3/4c brown sugar
1/3c butter
1 3/4c flour
Press into a greased 9x13 pan.
Sprinkle with 1 1/2c pecans pressing pecans lightly into dough
In a 1 qt saucepan combine
1/2c brown sugar
2/3c butter
Bring to boil and boil 1 minute stirring constantly.
Bake at 350Â° for 20 minutes or til bubbly
Remove from oven and sprinkle with;
1c semisweet chocolat chips.
Let stand 2 minutes and swirl together.
Cool and cut into squares.
roselin32
17 years ago
Forgot about this one..sounds more like what you are looking for:
Chocolate Pecan Bars
1 1/4 c flour
1c powdered sugar
1/2c cocoa
1c butter
1 can condensed milk
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2c chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350Â°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cocoa. Cut butter into cocoa mix til crumbly and press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13" pan. Bake for 15 minutes. In a medium bowl, beat condensed milk,egg and vanill until creamy. Stir in pecans and spread evenly over hot crust. Return to oven and bake another 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars to serve. Store in refrig.
maureen_me
17 years ago
They sound like Pecan Pie Squares, except with chocolate added and walnuts instead of pecans. Sort of like a ham sandwich, except with apples added and with chicken instead of ham! :o)

Anyway, I've made this recipe several times, even though I don't usually use cake mixes, and people really inhale them. I bet you could add a layer of chocolate and make them even better. (I got this from someone who got it from her sister-in-law, who said she got it from Paula Deen, but I'm not so sure about that.)

Pecan Pie Squares

1 box yellow cake mix (she used Duncan Hines butter kind, so I did, too)
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 9 x 13 pan. For the crust, in a bowl mix the cake mix, 1 egg, and melted butter. Measure out 2/3 c. of this mixture and save for topping. Pat the rest of mixture in pan and bake for 15 mins. Stir reserved crust mixture, 3 eggs, corn syrup,brown sugar, and vanilla. Last stir in the pecans. Pour this mixture over partially baked crust. Increase the oven temp. to 375 degrees and bake an additional 30 mins. or until cake
is set. Cool and cut into bars.

If you're not comfortable tweaking that one, you can find lots of recipes by just Googling "Chocolate Pecan Pie Squares." I copied out this one, but there are tons more. I'd love to hear what you end up trying.

Chocolate pecan pie squares

Yield: 54 servings
2 c Flour
1Â¼ c Granulated sugar
2 Sticks butter; cut-up, softened
3 tb Butter, melted
1 Egg
3 tsp Vanilla extract
6 oz Semisweet chocolate chips
â c Light brown sugar, packed
Â½ c Heavy cream
â c Light corn syrup
3 c Pecans, chopped
Recipe by: 365 Great Chocolate Desserts - ISBN 0-06-016537-5

Preparation Time: 1:05 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. To make crust, in a food processor, combine flour and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add 2 sticks softened butter and process until mixture is in fine crumbs. With machine on, add egg and 2 tsp vanilla through feed tube. Process just until dough leaves sides of bowl and masses together. 2. Press dough evenly over bottom of a foil-lined 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake 15 to 17 mins, or until just golden. 3. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Return to oven 1 to 2 mins to melt chips. Spread melted chocolate over crust. 4. In a large bowl, combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cream, corn syrup, melted butter, and remaining 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well. Stir in pecans. Carefully spoon pecan topping over chocolate on crust. 5. Bake 25 to 30 mins, or until golden. Let cool in pan 1 hour before cutting into 54 squares.
maureen_me
17 years ago
That should be 1/2 CUP packed dark brown sugar in the first of those two recipes, obviously. Sorry, I guess my brain always filled in the missing part.
jenn
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you for all the great recipes! They all sound worth trying even if they may not be the bar I bought.

I think the one that comes closest is the last one, Chocolate Pecan Pie Squares. Except for the jelly roll pan..... the bar I bought is taller than that.

You know, what keeps coming to mind is that the top layer reminds me of Ann_T's Graham Chewies.

Well I will need to experiment to see how close I can come to that goodie. Thanks again for sharing the recipes, I bet one of them will come close.

Jen

LOOKING for: Bar cookie w/multiple layers

Comments (7)

ginger_st_thomas

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LOOKING for: Bar cookie w/multiple layers

Comments (7)

ginger_st_thomas

jennOriginal Author

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roselin32

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