Chocolate Walnut Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or to taste bittersweet chocolate chips, good-quality (2 cups)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

Recipe

• 1 line a 13 by 9 inch pan (at least 1-1/2 inches deep) with heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side up. set aside.
• 2 adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 3 for crust: in small bowl, combine softened butter, sugar, and vanilla. by hand, cream until well-mixed and fluffy.
• 4 add sifted flour and stir to combine.
• 5 place crust mixture by small spoonfuls all over bottom of lined pan. keeping your hands lightly floured, press crust mixture into an even layer with fingertips and/or knuckles (this mixture is a bit sticky, so re-flour your hands lightly as necessary).
• 6 place in preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• 7 while crust bakes, make sure chocolate chips are at hand.
• 8 start walnut layer by combining eggs, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. by hand, beat until well-mixed. set aside.
• 9 when crust has baked for 10 minutes, remove from oven to cooling rack.
• 10 immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips as evenly as possible. return to oven for 3 minutes to melt chocolate; remove to cooling rack.
• 11 with back of spoon or offset spatula, spread chocolate evenly over crust. allow to stand for about 3 minutes.
• 12 during this standing period, add slightly cooled melted butter to egg mixture and beat in.
• 13 stir in walnuts until evenly distributed.
• 14 after standing period, place walnut mixture by spoonfuls all over melted chocolate, distributing walnuts as evenly as possible.
• 15 return to oven. bake 20 to 25 minutes.
• 16 when done, top of walnut layer will be a light golden brown; edges will be darker. remove to cooling rack.
• 17 cool completely before storing airtight.
• 18 before cutting, see notes at beginning of recipe. to cut, use a large, sharp, straight- edged knife. trim about 1/4 inch from each edge before cutting into bars.
• 19 store bars airtight at room temperature for up to several days, or freezer for longer storage.