All That's Left Are The Crumbs: Honey Mixed Nut Bars

December 20, 2016

Honey Mixed Nut Bars - #CreativeCookieExchange

Nuts in Cookies! is the theme for #CreativeCookieExchange this month. I had trouble picking just one type, so I used all the nuts - well almost.

I recently borrowed Cookie Love by Mindy Segal from the library and I pretty much bookmarked every recipe in the book as a must-make. To me this is my cue that I need to buy this book as soon as possible, or maybe Santa will bring it to me? Anyway, I saw a recipe for a Honey Walnut Bars in the book and knew that they would fit in perfectly with the #CreativeCookieExchange theme this month.

I like walnuts, but they are not my favorite so I decided to use a variety of nuts in the bars. Just a heads up that if you use salted mixed nuts like I did, make sure that you do not add any salt to the recipe. My family loved every thing about these bars from the crisp shortbread base, to the sticky honey caramel filling, to the crunchy nuts. They are also a great cookie since they last well, and tast just as good a few days later.

If you would like to know more about #CreativeCookieExchange and see what the other bakers made for the Nuts in Cookies! theme please scroll down below the recipe. Thanks to Laura from The Spiced Life, who is our host & fearless leader.

Honey Mixed Nut Bars

Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
Shortbread ~

170g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
225g all-purpose flour
65g granulated sugar
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Mixed Nut Caramel ~

170g unsalted butter, softened
160ml honey
125g dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
110ml heavy cream
280g mixed nuts, roughly chopped

Preparation

Shortbread ~

Preheat the oven to 180℃.
Line a 23-by-33cm pan with parchment paper, allowing 2.5cm of overhang on the long sides.  
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the butter with the flour, sugar and salt at medium speed until  a crumbly dough forms, about 6 minutes. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Bake the shortbread for 25 minutes, until golden brown; rotate the pan from front to back halfway through baking. Transfer to a rack and let  cool completely.

Mixed Nut Caramel ~

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat.
Whisk in the honey, both sugars and salts and the vanilla.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the caramel reaches 105℃ on a candy thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully add the cream and cook until the mixture reaches 115℃, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in all of the mixed nuts and cook until fragrant and toasty and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes longer.
Pour the mixed nut caramel over the shortbread and let cool completely.
Using the parchment paper, lift onto a cutting board. Cut into bars and serve.

Recipe from Cookie Love by Mindy Segal via Food & Wine

For US Measurements please click here

Nuts in cookies are a tradition celebrated all over the world ~ and Creative Cookie Exchange has joined the party! You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month!

Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made ~