Tropical Crunch Bars
Ingredients
For the toffee:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
For the crust:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted unsalted cashews
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Brazil nuts or macadamia nuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9″ baking pan.
To make toffee: lightly grease cookie sheet. Melt butter in small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden brown and reaches 290 F (hard-crack) on candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Pour onto prepared cookie sheet and cool completely. Chop toffee; measure out 1/2 cup and set aside. (Reserve the rest for another use).
To make crust: Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in flour until crumbly. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.
Beat eggs with brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Stir in coconut, cashews, Brazil nuts and chopped toffee. Spread over baked crust. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown (CAREFUL – it burns FAST!). Cool, cut into 2-1/2 x 1-1/2″ bars.