PINE NUT CARAMEL BARS

Pine Nut Caramel Bars image

Yield Makes 16

Number Of Ingredients 11

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 3/4 cups pine nuts (about 8 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream

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.)