Toffee Bar     December, 2015.

While I will never give gourmet prizes to the British for their food, I do believe their toffee is the very best. Out of respect for one of the few quality tastes they make, I bake this bar in December and have friends clamoring for more. BTW, I throw a fantastic December 26 (Boxing Day) party!

If you don’t know, toffee is primarily dark brown sugar. What’s not to like, I ask my NYC soul? I fall in love with this bar every time I bake it. And, if confessions are in order, I love London!

 
This recipe is on pages of 78 and 79 of Fat Witch Brownies, Blondies and Bars (cookbook #1).

• Ingredients
• Crust
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted  butter at room temperature
• ½ cup gently packed light brown  sugar
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sweetened  condensed milk
• Topping
• 1 cup gently packed dark brown  sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Directions
• Grease a 9” square baking pan with butter and dust with flour.
• Tap out the excess.
• Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
• For the crust
• Cream the butter and sugar until smooth in a medium bowl.
• Measure the flour and sift directly into the butter mixture.
• Mix until well combined.
• Add the milk and mix until well blended.
• Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan.
• Take the pan out of the oven and set aside.
• Do not turn off the oven.
• For the topping
• In a large bowl, cream the dark brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
• Measure the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Sift directly into the sugar mixture.
• Mix gently until well combined.
• Using a silicone spatula, spread the topping over the crust.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean or with crumbs, not batter on it.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a rack or at least 1 hour.
• Cut just before serving.
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