Maple Walnut Bars

Life outside of blogging has been happening at Grandma Loy’s Kitchen, so I am posting this Saturday Sweet on Sunday.

Last weekend hubby hit a rock while out four-wheeling and was thrown from his machine.  Fortunately he didn’t break any bones, but he has a gigantic bruise on his left side and one at the base of his spine.  He is very sore and can barely stand moving around so he has been pretty much planted in his recliner.  He has had two chiropractic treatments and is beginning to feel better, but I don’t like to spend lots of time on the computer when he is not feeling well.

This is the other maple-flavored recipe that I said I would post this week and is very different from the Glazed Maple Walnut Bars.  This one has a brown-sugar, shortbread-like base with a topping much like that for pecan pie.  You actually could use pecans instead of walnuts and have Maple Pecan Bars.

One thing that I do when I make this is to place the uncracked eggs in a bowl of very warm water while I am making the cookie base.  This warms the eggs up so that they are less likely to want to cook when the hot syrup is poured over them.

I always toast the walnuts as I think it enhances the flavor of the cookie.  This step can be skipped if desired.

This is a very rich cookie that goes well on a cookie tray.  The original recipe came from Farm Journal’s  “Best-Ever Cookies” book, 1980, one of my favorite cookie cookbooks.

Maple Walnut Bars
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. maple table syrup
1 t. maple extract
1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 c. chopped, toasted walnuts

Placed the uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water and set aside.  Combine the flour and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.  Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Press mixture into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  While cookie base is baking, combine 2/3 c. brown sugar and maple table syrup in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  Break eggs into a mixer bowl and beat slightly.  Slowly pour hot syrup into the eggs, beating constantly.  Stir in maple extract, vanilla, flour, and salt.  Mix thoroughly and pour over the baked base.  Sprinkle the walnuts evenly over the top.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned and set.  Cool in pan on rack.  Cut into bars.  Makes about 32.