chocolate toffee bars

Let me preface this post by saying that I recognize that being only 7 days into 2014 means that most people have resolved to exercise daily, eat more veggies, and generally give up all of their vices.  While a fresh start and reset is a good thing (anytime of the year), sometimes you need an easy, quick treat in your back pocket to serve your friends, neighborhood children, your husband, or yourself when a 3am sweet attack strikes.  These bars are the perfect solution.  There isn't a large bowl of cookie dough that needs to be sampled during the preparation, and the bar is rich and satisfying enough that you only need to eat one.  Tuck this recipe away for those days when you need a quick treat.  Or just save it for a few weeks from now and pull it out as a welcome reprieve from a few weeks of sugar free austerity.

Chocolate Toffee Bars

recipe from: ShowMe Nan

Ingredients:

Base:

• 3/4 C. margarine
• 3/4 C. packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 C. flour

Topping:

• 10 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 2 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 3/4 C. milk chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet to make the bars a little less sweet.)
• 1 1/3 C. toffee bits

Directions:

To make base:

1. Cream together margarine, brown sugar, and flour until well blended and mixture sticks together. 
2. Press into a 9x13 greased pan.  
3. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
4. Cool while you prepare the topping

To make topping:

1. Heat sweetened condensed milk and margarine over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.  Stir continuously for 10 minutes until thickened.  (I didn't know what I was looking for here, but the mixture really will get noticeably thicker.  It thins out initially, but keep stirring - it will thicken.)  Spread over cooled base.
2. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
3. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.  Bake 2 more minutes or until chocolate is shiny and soft.
4. Spread chocolate evenly over entire pan.  Top with toffee bits.
5. Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!

xo,