Shelly's Recipe

TRIPLE NUT CARAMEL BARS

Category: Bars

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Dough:
11/4 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
2 tbsp heavy cream

Caramel layer:
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups butterscotch morsels or a mixture of 1 cup butterscotch morsels and 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease or coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, letting foil overhang the two narrow ends by about 2 inches. Spray the foil with nonstick spray.

Mix the nuts, spread on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool and set aside. (Leave oven on.)

To make the dough: In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter until the mixture is the consistency of cornmeal. Sprinkle the cream over the flour mixture. Lightly stir to mix in. Gently knead until the mixture holds together. (The dough can also be done in a food processor.)

Press the dough in an even layer into the baking pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. When the crust layer is done, set it aside to cool while you make the caramel layer.

To make the caramel layer: In a heavy saucepan, thoroughly stir together the cream, corn syrup, butter and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Reduce the heat to a simmer and insert a candy thermometer into the mixture, being careful that the tip does not touch the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the thermometer reads 245 degrees.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and 2 cups of the nuts (reserve 1 cup for sprinkling over the top later) then immediately spread the caramel nut mixture evenly over the baked crust, all the way to the edges.

Immediately sprinkle the morsels evenly over the caramel layer. Let the morsels melt, then, using a table knife, spread the melted morsels over the caramel layer. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the melted morsels, pressing in lightly. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Using the overhanging foil as handles, transfer the slab to a cutting board. Carefully peel off and discard the foil. Using a large knife, cut the slab into 48 bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 1/2 weeks. Makes 48 bars