Chocolate Walnut Bars

Submitted by spatchcock

"I recently adopted this recipe from the Recipezaar account and just made them last night. They are amazing! Here's what the original poster said about these bars: "These aren't difficult to make, but they look fancy because they have three distinct layers. A shortbread crust is topped by a chocolate layer, which is then topped with a thin walnut layer. The bars freeze well, and they'll keep for several days at room temperature if stored airtight. I've even mailed these successfully, wrapping them in pairs with the bottoms together and packaging them in a sturdy, well-padded carton before placing them in a similarly sturdy, well-padded box. The most important thing to remember about these bars is that the chocolate layer needs some time to set up, even after the bars have cooled to room temperature. I usually make the bars the night before I'm going to cut and serve them, but chilling the bars after they've cooled for about 20 minutes should have the same effect.""

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Yields: 32 bars

ingredients

• CRUST

• 2⁄3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

• CHOCOLATE LAYER

• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or to taste bittersweet chocolate chips, good-quality (2 cups)

• WALNUT LAYER

• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)
• 1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, chopped

directions

1. Line a 13 by 9 inch pan (at least 1-1/2 inches deep) with heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side up. Set aside.
2. Adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. For Crust: In small bowl, combine softened butter, sugar, and vanilla. By hand, cream until well-mixed and fluffy.
4. Add sifted flour and stir to combine.
5. Place crust mixture by small spoonfuls all over bottom of lined pan. Keeping your hands lightly floured, press crust mixture into an even layer with fingertips and/or knuckles (this mixture is a bit sticky, so re-flour your hands lightly as necessary).
6. Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
7. While crust bakes, make sure chocolate chips are at hand.
8. Start Walnut Layer by combining eggs, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. By hand, beat until well-mixed. Set aside.
9. When Crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove from oven to cooling rack.
10. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips as evenly as possible. Return to oven for 3 minutes to melt chocolate; remove to cooling rack.
11. With back of spoon or offset spatula, spread chocolate evenly over crust. Allow to stand for about 3 minutes.
12. During this standing period, add slightly cooled melted butter to egg mixture and beat in.
13. Stir in walnuts until evenly distributed.
14. After standing period, place walnut mixture by spoonfuls all over melted chocolate, distributing walnuts as evenly as possible.
15. Return to oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
16. When done, top of walnut layer will be a light golden brown; edges will be darker. Remove to cooling rack.
17. Cool completely before storing airtight.
18. Before cutting, see Notes at beginning of recipe. To cut, use a large, sharp, straight- edged knife. Trim about 1/4 inch from each edge before cutting into bars.
19. Store bars airtight at room temperature for up to several days, or freezer for longer storage.

Reviews

[riffraff]

I made these with the intention of using them on my holiday cookie tray. After my walnut loving boyfriend tried them I have enough left for one cookie tray, lol. Thanks for a great, although very rich, recipe!