Cranberry Turtle Bars

Cranberry Turtle Bars

Gourmet | November 2001

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Turtle-Bars-105743

[With my notes]

30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Makes 3 dozen bars

3 cups pecans (12 oz), toasted and cooled , then coarsely chopped

For base

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For topping

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed; 63/4 oz), coarsely chopped (I used full 8oz bag. No need to chop cranberries, the heat of the carmel breaks them down.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

For decoration

2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), very finely chopped (I just threw chunks in, didn’t chop and it worked fine. This is plenty chocolate!)

Special equipment:

A candy thermometer

Make base:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

[Toast and chop pecans first as you need to use them quickly and I had a hard time toasting while working.]

Line a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 short sides. Butter all 4 sides (but not bottom).

Blend flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and pulse until mixture begins to form small (roughly pea-size) lumps. [It didn’t seem to do this so I stopped when it started sticking to the sides and I think this was good enough.] Sprinkle into baking pan, then press down firmly all over with a metal spatula (fingers better as spatula cuts foil) to form an even layer. Bake in middle of oven until golden and firm to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack.

Make topping:

Melt butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245°F on thermometer, about 8 minutes. Carefully stir in cranberries, then boil until caramel returns to 245°F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then stir in pecans until well coated. Working quickly, spread caramel topping over base, using a fork to distribute nuts and berries evenly. Cool completely.

Cut and decorate bars:

Lift bars in foil from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 6 crosswise strips, then 6 lengthwise strips to form 36 bars.

Melt half of chocolate in top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Seal bag and snip off a tiny piece of 1 corner to form a small hole, then pipe chocolate decoratively over bars. [IT DRIPS FAST, CUT HOLE WHILE HOLDING OVER BARS AS IT WILL IMMEDITALY DRIP.] Let stand at room temperature until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.

Cooks’s note:

Bars keep in an airtight container (use wax paper between layers) 1 week.

follow the directions carefully and use the right size pan for the shortbread crust.

Notes from others online:

-- I've added dried cranberries to increase the flavor. For those who've said the crust is too thin or "wimpy," I always combine in the food processor until it forms "lumps," which you would think is much longer than needed, but it works. As well, the size of the pan is absolutely correct, any larger and your crust is too thin.

-- I have also made variations with macademia nuts and a white chocolate drizzle.

-- I substituted the cranberries for a pack of frozen cherries approx 10 ounces-pulsed in the food processed. They came out great- more rave reviews!! They're sweeter than the cranberry ones, but still tasted great with chocolate and white chocolate drizzle. Very important note- make sure to bring the temperature back up to 245degrees. It takes a bit longer because of the high water content but if you dont it comes out too juicy and runny.