Honey Walnut Shortbread Bars Recipes

RUSTIC NUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in. Grease foil with 1 tablespoon butter., In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the remaining butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg until blended (mixture will be dry). Press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. , Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., In a large heavy saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar and salt; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar. Boil 2 minutes without stirring. Stir in butter and cream; return to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in nuts. Spread over crust., Bake 15-20 minutes or until topping is bubbly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Lifting with foil, remove from pan. Discard foil; cut into bars.

WALNUT SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• For crust, preheat oven to 275F; crumble ingredients together until well mixed; Press into a greased 9x13 pan and bake in a slow oven (275F) for 8 minutes; increase temp to 375F and top with second mixture and continue baking.
• For topping: Mix all ingredients well; spread mixture over the partially baked crust and continue baking in a moderate oven (375F) until well set and slightly browned, about 30 minutes; cool and cut into squares.

WALNUT COOKIE BARS (WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST)

Steps:

• Set oven to 350° (oven rack to second-lowest position).
• Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a processor (I use my small processor for this) place the flour and sugar, process for a couple of seconds.
• Add in cold butter and vanilla; process until fine crumbs form (about 10 seconds or just until the mixture holds together).
• Press the mixture into bottom of the baking pan.
• Bake 350° (second-lowest oven rack) for about 12-15 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown.
• Meanwhile in a bowl whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla, pinch salt and eggs until well blended.
• Mix in chopped walnuts.
• Pour over the crust.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until set (these bars do not bake out high so watch closely they bake quickly!).
• Cool for about 1 hour or more before slicing.
• At this point you can drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.
• Slice into bar shapes.

MAPLE WALNUT SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Cut a piece of foil 8 by 16-inches. Butter the corners and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the foil, leaving an overhang on two sides.
• Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the egg yolk, syrup, vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds if using. Reduce the speed to low, add the flours and salt, all at once, and beat until just combined. Add the walnuts and continue to mix until fully combined.
• Using your hands, drop the dough in pieces evenly into the prepared pan. Flour your hands lightly and press the dough together and into the corners of the pan. Put a piece of waxed paper on top of the dough and use something square and heavy-another pan, a pound of cold butter-to press the dough into the pan and make a smooth, even top. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• When it is firm, use a fork to score the dough all over. Bake until deep golden brown and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 2 hours, then wrap with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature overnight.
• Place a lightweight cutting board or a baking rack over the top of the pan. Flip and set on the counter. Gently pull the pan from the foil and the foil from the pan to lift off the pan. Gently peel the foil off the bar. Place another lightweight cutting board on top, and flip the bar right-side-up.
• Using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the square in half. Then slice each half into 8 bars.