Sugar High Fridays/IMBB - Cookie Swap - Count Me In!

I wanted to participate and be included in the fun. With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, my oven has been monopolized by roasting turkeys, savory stuffings, bottomless pies, etc... Cookies will have to wait until next week. Will post photos when available.

Make some room, Cookie Monster!






Chocolate-Pecan Caramel Candy Bars

A chocolate sundae on the go!

Yields: About 3 dozen

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter

Topping:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and grease foil. To make crust, in a food processor, combine flour, sugar and butter and process until crumbly. Pat onto bottom of pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until set. Remove and transfer to a rack.

To make topping, in a saucepan, heat butter until it melts and bubbles. Add brown sugar, honey, cream and maple syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil without stirring for 1 minute. Pour over hot crust and sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until caramel layer is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let melt, then swirl with a spatula. Let cool and peel off foil. Cut into 1 1/2-by-2-inch bars.

Adapted From: The Christmas Cookie Deck by Lou Seibert Pappas, photographs by Frankie Frankeny, 2004, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA, chroniclebooks.com