Bars and photo by sugarpie © Sarah Phillips
I love this simple bar recipe! My friends call it “…that maple brownie” because it has a dense, brownie like texture. If you want a thinner, more elegant bar for weddings, Christmas or tea assortments, use a 9- x 13-inch or an 11- x 15-inch pan.
COOKIE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts; measure after chopping and then lightly toast
1 recipe Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
24 walnut halves for garnish
NOTES: Grade B maple syrup has more flavor than regular maple syrup. You can find it in gourmet shops. If you can't find, use 100% maple syrup.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare a 9- or 10-inch square or round baking pan with shortening. Line the bottom with greased parchment paper and flour the pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
3. In your mixer bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter to form a paste, scrape the sides and then add the maple syrup, the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth. This usually takes several minutes.
4. Add the dry ingredients all at once and stir in the nuts. Mix only until the flour is combined.
5. Scrape into the prepared baking pan and bake about 20 to 25 minutes. When touched, the bars will be firm. They should be a light golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted into center, it should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, not batter.
6. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, unmold and peel off the parchment paper. Invert right-side-up to cool on a wire cake rack before frosting.
ASSEMBLY
Spread Maple Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting on the bars and refrigerate the bars before cutting so the icing is firm. I like to use one motion through the whole width of the bar. I gently mark the lines to cut and then lay the knife against the mark and push through the whole bar. It makes a nicer cut. If the icing softens before you are done, refrigerate again until firm. Resume cutting. If you like, place a walnut piece on top of each cut bar.
STORAGE
Store the frosted bars in a airtight container in the refrigerator because the frosting contains cream cheese which is perishable.
The bars can be frozen for a month or more. Thaw in the refrigerator.
