Toffee Bars

Chocolate is the king of all sweets. Add chocolate to any dessert and it becomes infinitely better. Silky and smooth with deeply rich, cocoa flavor, chocolate is pleasing to the tongue and satisfies the sweet tooth.

I'm one of those people who eats chocolate chips as a snack. Ask me my favorite dessert and I say, "Anything with chocolate." I remember as a little girl, tip-toeing into the kitchen, climbing onto the counter and sneaking chocolate chips from the cabinet. And then I would be amazed when my mom (upon smelling my breath) would say, "You've been in the chocolate again, huh?" How did she know? The scenario today is much the same, except now it's my husband, smiling reproachingly at my mouth full of chocolate.

This recipe is pretty easy...a buttery, toffee crust topped by silky-smooth, milk chocolate. Beware though, they are sort of addicting.

Toffee Bars
Makes approximately 36 bars
Total Time: 45 minutes plus 2 hours cooling time.

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

3 - 4 Hershey milk chocolate bars, broken into small pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla.

Add egg yolk and whisk again.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

And then stir it into the brown sugar mixture.

Dump into an ungreased 9 x 13 pan and press down with a spatula (or your hand) into an even layer.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees until golden. Crust will still be slightly soft.

Immediately distribute the chocolate pieces on top of the hot crust. 

You need a minimum of three Hershey bars to cover the crust, but use four if you like a bit more chocolate.

When chocolate is soft, use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly on top of the crust.

If you wish, sprinkle on the chopped nuts.

Then let cool until chocolate has hardened once again -- it shouldn't smear when you touch it. 

Cut into small squares once cooled.

Recipe from my momma.