December 4, 2014

Toffee Bars

Rudy and Holly, my goldens!
The holiday baking season is here!  I volunteer for Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue here in Denver.  Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue rescues, fosters, rehabilitates, and adopts these  dogs out to permanent homes.  The rescue has an incredible network of vets who help take such great care of our goldens.  When the rescue needed volunteers to bake holiday treats for vets, I was happy to help since the vets do so much for the rescue--and because it is a reason to bake. :)

During the holiday season, I love baking cookies and treats that bring back memories.  In my family, holiday sweets are a family tradition!  A few years ago, I put together a cookbook with some of my family's favorite recipes, and it had been too long since I flipped through it.  When I opened the cookbook to my Aunt Colleen's toffee bar recipe, I smiled and knew I had to make those toffee bars.

Whenever I visited my uncle and aunt's house in Chicago, my aunt had these massive platters full of coffee cake, cookies, chocolate rice crispy treats, and toffee bars.  Oh, and then there was usually a small plate with some sugar-free low carb dessert for my low-carb obsessed uncle, also known as Uncle Atkins or Uncle Splenda.  Everyone would always break off half of the toffee bar--only intending to eat that half--but then inevitably return for the other half of the toffee bar.  

These toffee bars combine buttery brown sugar shortbread and a layer of chocolate.   It is simple to make these toffee bars.  Hey, no rolling pin, frosting, or sprinkles are needed. ;)  You may already have all the ingredients in your pantry, which makes this such a good recipe to keep on hand.  Holiday baking does not have to be complicated, so give this a try.  Happy Baking!


Toffee Bars
Yields about 20 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups light brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 lb. butter, softened
4 cups flour
12 oz.  chocolate chips (your choice - semi-sweet, milk, etc.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.  In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix brown sugar and butter until creamy.  Then, add egg yolks and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour until the ingredients are combined.  Spread on an ungreased jelly roll pan (about 11x16").  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, and turn the oven off.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the bar base and place it back into the oven for 5 minutes.  After removing from the oven, spread the melted chocolate chips across the bars.  Allow to cool before cutting.

Source: My Aunt Colleen

5 comments:

  1. What a wonderful thing to do for the goldens and the vets. Your babies are so beautiful. I love their big smiles. Perhaps they are so happy smelling these wonderful bars baking.

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  2. Your toffee bars would be gone in a second at my place :D
    And what a great place to volunteer at!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  3. Those dogs are so cute!! Yes, even cuter than the toffee bars but not by much!

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  4. What I lovely story! And Yes, Your family made cookies every single Christmas....tons of 'em in Christmas colors, spices and sprinkles! These toffee bars look to easy "not" to make! Cuddles and kisses to Rudy and Holly!

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