Coconut Toffee Squares

• Makes: 32 small squares or 20 larger bars
• Hands on Time: 15 min
• Baking Time: 40 min total

Ingredients:

• Base:
  • ½ c butter, softened
  • ½ c brown sugar
  • 1 c all-purpose flour
• Topping:
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 c shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp almond extract

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. For the base: Cream the ½ cup of butter briefly with the brown sugar and then beat in the 1 cup of flour until combined. You will have a crumbly mixture. Press firmly and evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes in a 350F oven.
3. While the base is baking, prepare the topping. In a bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and beat them together.
4. After the base has baked for 10 minutes, remove it from the oven and spread the topping mixture over the base. Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling below is set. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack. When the squares are still somewhat warm, lift the uncut baking out of the pan by the parchment and cut it into squares. Cool completely.

My Christmas Variation: Add 2 tbsp of finely grated orange zest and a ¾ cup of dried cranberries to the topping mixture, stirring them in after the other topping ingredients have been combined.