Chocolate caramel pecan bars - recipe - Sunset's Kitchen Cabinet - Column

Sunset, Jan, 1994 by Barbara Morkus

About 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter or margarine, cut into chunks

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped pecans or almonds

Caramel filling (recipe follows)

2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate baking chips or chunks

In a bowl, beat to blend 1 cup butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla; add flour and mix well. Press mixture evenly over bottom and sides of a buttered 10- by 15-inch pan. Sprinkle nuts over dough. Bake in a 350 |degrees~ oven until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Pour caramel into crust and spread evenly; sprinkle with chocolate. When chocolate softens, about 5 minutes, spread smooth. Let cool. Cut into 30 squares, then cut each in 1/2 diagonally. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day; freeze to store longer. Makes 60.

Per piece: 141 cal. (54 percent from fat); 1 g protein; 8.4 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 17 g carbo.; 51 mg sodium; 15 mg chol.

Caramel filling. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter or margarine. Add 3/4 cup each firmly packed brown sugar and light corn syrup; stir until mixture reaches 240 |degrees~ (soft-ball stage) on a thermometer, about 5 minutes. Use hot.