WINTER WONDER BARS

Winter Wonder Bars image

Holiday time calls for excess and expense. These bar cookies fit the bill, white chocolate brownies with macadamia nuts! Please don't skimp on the quality of the chocolate, it makes all the difference.

Provided by Kevin Ryan

Categories Cookies

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

12 ounces white chocolate
4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup white sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease one 9 inch square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Chop 1/2 of the white chocolate into very small pieces. Chop the remaining white chocolate and the bittersweet chocolate into large chunks, set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Do not allow the butter to bubble or to color. Remove from the heat and add the finely chopped white chocolate. DO NOT STIR the chocolate in, set aside.
Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla together until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Lower the mixer speed and add the butter mixture. Mix just to blend. Add the flour mixture and mix just until the flour is mixed in. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the two chocolates and the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until the brownies are just set, about 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs still attached. As with all brownies it is better to underbake than to overbake. Allow to cool about 1 hour then cut into squares.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 362.2 calories, Carbohydrate 35.4 g, Cholesterol 58.7 mg, Fat 22.8 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 4.9 g, SaturatedFat 11.6 g, Sodium 70.9 mg, Sugar 25 g