Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars

These buttery bars are the specialty of the Aloha Angel Café on Hawaii’s Big Island. Created by baker Cathy Haber, they have it all: a buttery, crunchy, nutty crust, caramel and rich chocolate. We like them chilled. Recipe by Greg Patent, "Relish America's Harvest," Sept. 2006

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 36

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1  cup  chopped  macadamia nuts, toasted

• Caramel and Chocolate

• 3⁄4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2. To prepare the crust, combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process about 10 seconds to combine thoroughly. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly, about 30 seconds. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly to make a compact layer. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
3. To prepare the caramel layer, melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly with back of a metal spoon. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
4. Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute; sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula or back of a metal spoon. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife. Makes 36 bars.