Pine Nut Caramel Bars Recipes

PINE NUT CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square glass baking dish with foil. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Add sugar and lemon peel and beat until light and fluffy. Mix flour, cornstarch and salt in small bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix until beginning to gather together. Press dough over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared dish. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until beginning to color, about 35 minutes. Remove crust from oven; maintain oven temperature.
• Combine butter, packed dark brown sugar and honey in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Boil without whisking until mixture thickens and bubbles enlarge, about 1 minute. Stir in pine nuts. Remove from heat; stir in whipping cream.
• Spread topping in crust. Bake until caramel bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Remove from pan, using foil as aid. Cut into squares. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container.)

TUSCAN ROSEMARY AND PINE NUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a rack at the middle level.
• Spread the pine nuts on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Toast, stirring once or twice to prevent burning, until they are a shade darker and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully; pine nuts burn easily. Remove from the cookie sheet and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioner's sugar, rosemary and pine nuts. Then stir in the flour to make a stiff dough.
• Spread and pat the dough evenly into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. bake until the bars are golden and firm at the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool the pan on a rack for about 2 minutes, then use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Let the bars cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing them with a small spatula. The bars can be stored, tightly covered, for up to 5 days, or frozen for 1 month.