Milk Chocolate Chunk Almond Bar

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 18 tablespoons unsalted butter, at a cool room temperature (2 sticks plus 2 tb, 255 gms)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (165 gms)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (290 gms)
• 1 cup cake flour (145 gms)
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup (246 gms)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 gms)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 cups sliced almonds, toasted (about 450 gms)
• 10 ounces good quality milk chocolate, chopped fine (280 gms)
• 2 ounces melted chocolate, for drizzle

Recipe

• 1 line a 9x13 aluminum baking pan with heavy duty foil.
• 2 leave 2-3 inches of foil sticking out of the pan on the short sides to aid in lifting the finished product out of the pan.
• 3 for the pastry:.
• 4 in a small bowl or plastic bag measure and mix flours and salt.
• 5 in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (can be done with a hand mixer), mix the butter, vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• 6 add flours 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
• 7 continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
• 8 press dough into prepared pan about 1/4-inch thick.
• 9 prick the pastry with the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer.
• 10 chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
• 11 while the pastry is resting, place rack in center of oven.
• 12 preheat to 375°f.
• 13 spread nuts on a cookie sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes, until hot and aromatic (do not burn them!) allow to cool bake pastry until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
• 14 while the crust is baking prepare the filling.
• 15 filling.
• 16 reduce oven temp to 350°f.
• 17 in a medium bowl whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• 18 add eggs, corn syrup, melted butter and extract.
• 19 mix until well combined.
• 20 mix in chopped chocolate and nuts, spread immediately on hot crust and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and center is set.
• 21 cool completely, drizzle with melted chocolate (a zip lock bag with the corner cut out works weel for this) and refrigerate to set-up.
• 22 lift from pan and cut into 1 1/2 square bars.
• 23 store covered for 1 week.