These are a favourite of mine. Very rich, and very yummy. Easy to make with one bowl mixing and no fuss rolling of dough.

Ingredients for bottom:

9 x 13 baking pan
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter (softened)
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 c flour

In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the yolks and vanilla and beat on high speed. Once incorporated, slow down the mixer and slowly add the flour until just incorporated (the dough will be crumbly). Do NOT over-process.

Prepare two sheets of waxed paper 10 x 14. Line your hands with plastic wrap and take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a ball, avoiding direct contact with your skin. Then flatten the ball and put between the waxed paper sheets. Roll out the disk to a rough 10 x 14 shape. Slide dough and waxed paper sheets onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 deg.

Once chilled take the top waxed paper off the dough and with bottom waxed paper and all, plop dough in the baking pan, the bottom waxed paper turns into a pan liner. Press the dough down into the pan, paying special attention to the corners which may be a bit hard because of the waxed paper. Press down the dough that is going up the sides into a 1/4″ x 1/4″ edge to contain the liquid that is going to be poured on in the next section. You can take bits from other parts of the bottom if you’re uneven. Decorate the edge with a fork or something similar.

Put a piece of aluminum foil on top of the crust and hold down with some pie weights or a large number of pennies to stop the dough from rising.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and weights and bake for another 7-9 minutes or until lightly golden.

While this is baking, prepare the filling:

In a heavy sauce pan, put the following ingredients:

1 c dark brown sugar
5 Tb butter
3 Tb heavy cream
3 Tb Maple syrup
2Tb Corn syrup

Bring the mixture to a slow boil while stirring, then let simmer for about a minute to dissolve the sugar.

And now the piece the resistance:

Coarsely chop 1 1/2 C Macadamia nuts (unsalted). If yours are salted, rinse off the salt and re-crisp them in the 350 degree oven for 5 minutes (no NOT roast them!).

Spread the nuts evenly over the bottom and pour over the sugar mixture until everything is nice and even. Bake in the oven for another 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

Take out of the oven and let cool completely.

It should look something like this:

Take out the bars by pulling up on the waxed paper and place on a cutting board. Peel off the waxed paper:

Use an electric knife (or sharp large kitchen knife) and slice and dice the bars into 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch pieces:

You can keep them in a tin for up to two weeks, or freeze them to have some left for Christmas!

That Spirit of Christmas

Christmas is the time of year
For being with the ones we love
Sharing so much joy and cheer
What a wonderful feelin
Watching the ones we love
Having so much fun

I was sitting by the fire side
Taking a walk through the snow
Listening to a children’s choir
Singing songs about Jesus
The blessed way that he came to us
Why can’t it remain
All through the year
Each day the same
Heyeah, that’s what I wanna hear
Heh heh
It’s truly amazing
That spirit of Christmas

All the kin folk gather round
The lovely Christmas tree
Hearts are glowing full of joy
Sense the gifts that we’re giving
And the love that we’re living
Why can’t it remain
Ohhh all through the year
Each day the same
Heyeah, that’s what I wanna hear
I’ll tell ya
It’s truly amazing
That spirit of Christmas

By the late, great, Ray Charles

Merry Christmas to All!

This is going to be my last post until after The Holidays. We’ve got the Holiday Tree up, and on Holiday’s Eve and Holiday-Day I’ll be spending my time with family (my wife, because my kids are still in Nepal) and friends (Jack Daniels).

In -32 degree weather, and another foot of snow on the way, my Winter Lights can hardly be seen, but will still give some Holiday Cheer to the poor souls braving the deep freeze and thigh high snow and walk by my house. They can also view our display of illuminated Happy Trees and PC Nativity Scene. We’ll be snug inside roasting chestnuts on an environmentally friendly fuel source and watching such holiday movies as Four Holidays and the various Holiday Specials. Outside, carollers sing such wonderful Holiday hymns as “O come in adoration” and “I’m Dreaming of a White Winterval“.

As for the new year, I wish everybody living in the prairies a sustained and hefty dose of Global Warming. Bring it on!

Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!