Toffee Bars

My family and I have been making these toffee bars since I was little. The recipe is simple and delicious. Unlike most modern toffee bars, there's no toffee candy in these bars - instead, you make a brown-sugar-based bar cookie that's topped with melted milk chocolate and pecans.

This is one of the few instances that I prefer milk to dark chocolate - I think its softer, sweeter taste better compliments the rich and buttery base cookie.

These take virtually no time to throw together, and are wonderful to package up as gifts. They're great Christmas cookies but can (and should) be made at all times of the year. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg yolk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup milk chocolate (I like to use Hershey's bars, broken into small pieces)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt.

Press in ungreased rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.

Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until very light brown (crust will be soft).

Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on hot crust. Let melt, then spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with nuts.

Cool bars 30 minutes in pan on wire rack, and then cut into bars.

20-24 bars

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