Butterscotch Shortbread Bars

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cashews
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
• 2 butter foil; set pan aside.
• 3 in a bowl, combine flour, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and baking powder; use a pastry blender and cut in ½ cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• 4 press mixture into bottom of prepared pan; bake at 350° for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• 5 in a saucepan, melt the remaining ¼ cup butter; stir in sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt.
• 6 stir in cashews; bring mixture to boiling over med-high heat, stirring constantly.
• 7 boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring often.
• 8 remove pan from heat; stir in whipping cream and vanilla.
• 9 spread butterscotch mixture evenly over baked crust.
• 10 bake 12-15 minutes more or until most of the surface is bubbly.
• 11 cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• 12 using foil, lift bars out of pan; carefully peel foil from sides of bars; cut into bars.
• 13 to store: place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover; store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.