Chocolate Almond Bars

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, cold or 3/4 cup margarine
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups almonds, toasted, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon shortening

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f combine flour and sugar in small bowl. cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. press onto bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
• 2 bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• 3 melt 1 cup chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in medium saucepan. cool slightly. beat in egg. stir in almonds and almond extract. spread over partially baked crust.
• 4 bake an additional 25 minutes or until set. cool.
• 5 melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips with shortening in small saucepan. drizzle over bars. chill 10 minutes or until set. cut into bars. store covered at room temperature.
• 6 tip*to toast nuts: place nuts in dry nonstick skillet. cook over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are lightly browned.