Do you remember your grandmother making Magic Bars or Seven Layer Bars?
Becky Low shares an updated recipe of that classic dessert.
Dulce de Leche Chocolate Pecan Squares
½ cup butter, melted (1-stick)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 can (13.5 oz) dulce de leche*
⅓ cup cream
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Vanilla ice cream, optional
toasted coconut, optional garnish**
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 9×13 pan with foil.
Melt butter, stir in graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and 1-teaspoon vanilla; evenly and firmly press crumbs into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven, reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Cool crust while preparing topping.
Whisk egg; add dulce de leche, cream and 2-teaspoons vanilla, stir until blended. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, pecans and coconut. Bake about 25 or until dulce de leche is set around edges but still soft in center and coconut is lightly toasted. Remove from oven; cool completely.
Using foil edges, lift tart from pan, pull foil down edges and cut into 24-48 pieces. To serve, place each small piece in a candy paper, or place larger squares on a small plate and top with a scoop vanilla ice cream, garnish with toasted coconut (also great drizzled dulce de leche thinned with cream to desired consistency).
Notes:
* Homemade Dulce de Leche: (www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-dulce-de-leche-395011): Store covered in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Makes about 1 ½ cups dulce de leche
Classic method:
Stir together 4 cups milk, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in a 3- to 4-quart heavysaucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and thickened, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. (After about an hour, stir more often as milk caramelizes, to avoid burning.) Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Sweetened condensed milk method:
Heat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Pour the contents of 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Set plate in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up pie plate. Bake milk in middle of oven 45 minutes. Check water level and add additional, if necessary, then continue to bake 45 minutes more, or until milk is thick and brown. Remove pie plate from water bath and cool, uncovered.
* Crockpot Dulce de Leche:
Open can of sweetened condensed milk, pour into clean glass canning jars with lids and rings. Place in crockpot and cover with at least 1-inch water. Cook on low, 8-10 hours. NOTE: Jars may seal when removed from crockpot but jars must still be stored in the refrigerator.
** Toasted Coconut:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thinly spread coconut on baking sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned.
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