Toffee Bars at the picnic

So there was this impromptu picnic last Saturday at a farmhouse and the family decided to do an open air barbecue. It was also potluck time so we got biryani and a whole lot of barbecued food like chicken and fish. It was also a warm and sunny day and the boys played cricket while we girls got busy with badminton. Since we are all out of shape sadly, we didn't manage to play much before coming back the area where we had parked our cars so we could have lunch. Amid all the camaraderie and good natured teasing, we managed to finish the barbecue and sit down and eat.

As usual I wanted to make something sweet for the picnic. The consensus was that I should make my famed chocolate cake pops and I was ready for it. But for some reason Iwasn't feeling too well and the idea of sitting up till 2 am making these cake pops didn't appeal to me. I have to make these after 10.30 in the night when the kids go to sleep or they go crazy seeing all the lined up cake pops and the melted chocolate and I really don't need more chaos.

So I browsed the internet for something else which I could make, with chocolate but not as time consuming or tiring. I wondered briefly about making peanut butter cups, little rounds of peanut butter and sugar coated with chocolate, and then decided not to, because it could well be an acquired taste and people might not like it. Then, on The Joy of Baking I found the recipe for toffee bars.

Making these was so easy that I was entirely surprised myself. But the best part is that they're so delicious! The toffee bars actually consist of a bottom layer of buttery shortbread, topped with melted chocolate and sprinkled with toasted chopped almonds. I was out of almonds so I toasted cashewnuts instead and it was just fine. Here's the recipe. I've had to adapt it to my requirements and it seems to work just fine.

200 gms butter

2 cups maida

1 cup sugar(brown sugar is preferable)

1/2 tsp salt

175 gms cooking chocolate chopped

1/4 cup toasted and chopped nuts

1 tsp vanilla essence

Melt the butter in a pan. Remove from fire. Add the sugar and essence and stir well. Add salt and maida and stir until just incorporated. Press at the bottom of a rectangular tin which has been lined on the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the shortbread is golden brown or browning on  the edges.

Remove from oven and immediately scatter the chopped chocolate over it and return to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and with the back of a spoon spread out the chocolate to cover the entire shortbread. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the chocolate. Let the chocolate set and the shortbread cool before you cut bars or squares. You can lift the shortbread out with the help of the aluminum foil and place it on a cutting board so you can cut more evenly.

I'd been planning to take a picture for the blog but unfortunately I thought I'd do it later. Later was when I saw that the box had been completely demolished (at home by my son) although everyone had enjoyed it at the picnic.

This one's a winner. It's only when my baked goods don't disappear that I start getting worried. :)