Cranberry Turtle Bars

Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped (not thawed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups pecans, toasted and cooled, then coarsely chopped (12 oz)
• 2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped (not unsweetened)

Recipe

• 1 make base: preheat oven to 350°f
• 2 line a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 short sides. butter all 4 sides (but not bottom).
• 3 blend flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and pulse until mixture begins to form small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
• 4 sprinkle into baking pan, then press down firmly all over with a metal spatula to form an even layer.
• 5 bake in middle of oven until golden and firm to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack.
• 6 make topping: melt butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
• 7 boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245°f on thermometer, about 8 minutes. carefully stir in cranberries, then boil until caramel returns to 245°f
• 8 remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then stir in pecans until well coated. working quickly, spread caramel topping over base, using a fork to distribute nuts and berries evenly. cool completely.
• 9 cut and decorate bars:.
• 10 lift bars in foil from pan and transfer to a cutting board. cut into 6 crosswise strips, then 6 lengthwise strips to form 36 bars.
• 11 melt half of chocolate in top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. remove bowl from heat and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. transfer chocolate to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. seal bag and snip off a tiny piece of 1 corner to form a small hole, then pipe chocolate decoratively over bars. let stand at room temperature until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.