Nutty Almond Date Bars
 
Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup plus ¼ cup butter, softened and divided
  • ½ cup plus ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
  • ½ cup plus ⅓ cup light corn syrup, divided
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup unsalted, slivered, dry-roasted almonds
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1 cup white chocolate melting wafers
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-inch rimmed sheet pan with foil.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together ⅔ cup butter, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup corn syrup until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon almond extract and then egg until well combined. Gradually beat in flour and salt until combined into a dough. Spread dough into prepared baking sheet, pressing to edges.
  3. Bake crust until light golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar and remaining ⅓ cup corn syrup over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stir in remaining ¼ cup butter and cream. Increase heat to medium and cook mixture until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon almond extract.
  5. Sprinkle almonds and dates evenly over crust. Pour cooked mixture over almonds and dates, spreading evenly.
  6. Bake until light brown and set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool partially.
  7. Melt white chocolate according to package directions, adding ½ to 1 tablespoon oil to achieve desired consistency, if desired. Using a spoon, drizzle or drop white chocolate onto uncut bars. Refrigerate to finish cooling and to harden white chocolate.
  8. When completely cool, using a sharp knife, carefully cut into 16 bars or 24 squares.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/mysteries-and-mountain-retreats-await-in-a-very-woodsy-murder-by-ellen-byron/