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Toffee Bars:
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon (3 grams) pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) fine kosher salt
Topping:
1 cup (180 grams) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (75 grams) toffee bits or finely chopped toasted almonds or pecans
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Toffee Bars: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
Shortbread: In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt.
In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated and you have clumps of batter (not a solid ball of dough).
Evenly spread the shortbread batter onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Lightly prick with the tines of a fork. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the shortbread is golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately scatter the chocolate chips over the hot shortbread. Return the shortbread to the oven for a minute or just until the chocolate chips start to melt. Remove from oven and, with an offset spatula or back of a spoon, evenly spread the chocolate. Sprinkle the toffee bits or chopped nuts over the chocolate. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the chocolate has set, lift the shortbread from the pan using the edges of the foil. Place on a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, cut into 16 bars.
Store in an airtight container. These will keep for a couple of weeks at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen.
Makes about 16 bars.
Note: If using nuts instead of toffee bits. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the nuts cool completely and then finely chop.
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Toffee Bars are a three layer bar that start with a brown sugar shortbread base that is covered with a layer of dark chocolate, topped with crushed bits of toffee. They are delicious and their flavor and texture remind me of Buttercrunch Toffee.
Like most bars and squares, Toffee Bars are easy to make. They would be perfect for holiday baking as they store well and can even be frozen. In fact, I find these bars only improve with age. They start with a shortbread base, containing the usual shortbread components; butter, sugar, and flour. Brown sugar is used instead of white sugar, which gives the shortbread a lovely toffee-like flavor. The shortbread is pre baked. Immediately upon removing from the oven, chocolate chips are sprinkled over the hot shortbread and then, just pop it back into the oven for a minute or two until the chocolate has melted. You can use semi sweet, bittersweet, or even milk chocolate chips. Once the chocolate has completely melted, sprinkle on toffee bits or you could use toasted and finely chopped nuts. As with most things chocolate, these do benefit from sitting at least overnight so the flavors have time to soften and mingle.