Mocha Toffee Bars

These are really good!!! Adapted from Gourmet magazine's favorite cookies.

1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 lg. egg yolk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 T instant espresso powder dissolved in 2 T boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. all purpose flour
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
3/4 c. salted roasted cashews, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and mix before adding the espresso mixture a little at a time, mixing well before adding more.

Add the salt and flour slowly with the machine on low until everything is well mixed.

Line a jelly roll pan (15" x 10") with parchment and spread batter evenly across the surface. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

While the cookie batter is baking, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, making sure the upper pan does not touch the surface of the simmering water.

Remove the baked layer from the oven and spread the melted chocolate over the surface. Sprinkle nuts over evenly. Cool on a baking rack before cutting it into even squares. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill until chocolate is firm.

Read more: http://sassandveracity.com/2008/12/01/mocha-toffee-bars/#more-54#ixzz0Z8...

I used pecans instead of cashews and bittersweet chocolate instead of semisweet.

Instant espresso can often be found in your grocery store. Medaglia D'Oro is the brand I used. It comes in a 2 oz. jar. It's one of those things I keep around for occasions like this.

For those of you who prefer not to drink coffee, I can say that the coffee isn't the predominant flavor in these — the chocolate is. The cookie is crisp, and has a semi sharp taste, almost like strong caramel, and the chocolate tempers that. The flavors work nicely together.

Once the chocolate is set, the cookies can be placed in paper cups, then in a box, or stacked carefully and wrapped in cellophane for gift giving.

Read more: http://sassandveracity.com/2008/12/01/mocha-toffee-bars/#more-54#ixzz0Z8...