Butter Toffee-Nut Bars

These are wonderful. Caramelly and nutty on a buttery crust!

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Yields: 40 bars

Ingredients

• Pasty

• 1 1⁄2 cups butter, room temperature
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons lemons, zest of
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch

• Topping

• 10  tablespoons butter
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup honey
• 1 1⁄2 cups  toasted  blanched almonds
• 1 1⁄2 cups  toasted skinned hazelnuts
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons  whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 370F (175C); line 9”x13” pyrex baking dish with foil.
2. For pastry: In mixer, cream butter; add sugar and lemon peel and beat until light and fluffy; combine flour, salt and cornstarch in small bowl; mix to blend; add to butter and mix just until dough starts coming together; press dough into baking dish, forming 1 inch high edges; pierce all over with fork.
3. Bake until starting to colour, piercing with fork if pastry begins to puff during baking, about 40 minutes; remove from oven, maintaining oven temperature.
4. For topping: Combine butter, brown sugar and honey in saucepan; whisk over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil; boil without stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles enlarge, about 1 minute; mix in almonds and hazelnuts; remove from heat and stir in cream; spread topping in crust; bake until caramel bubbles, about 20 minutes.
5. Cool in pan, on rack; remove from pan, using foil as aid; cut into 1 1/2 inch squares; keep in an air-tight container.