Did you have a very merry Christmas? Or perhaps just a fabulous weekend? No matter what you celebrate, I hope that this past weekend was filled with joy. The greatest joy for me was the easing back of my health. It’s been slow, but a few weeks ago my thyroid dose was adjusted and it finally began to kick in this past week. It’s been a good week. In fact, I even got to help with the christmas baking. In addition to heirloom family recipes, there were these.
They might just have stolen the show. When my dad arrived home after I baked these, he grabbed a piece and I watched as his face melted into pleasure and excitement. He hasn’t stopped talking about them since! When my brother had a piece, his eyes rolled back in his head as a smile spread across his face. I’m positive that these will be made many more times. In fact, I think I’ll make them again today. I know that they won’t last long around here.
I love how many cookie recipes begin to appear around the holidays. They’re such a great method of sharing joy and enjoying sweets :). The original recipe for these, I found at Serious Eats. They’re my belated contribution to your Christmas platter. Perhaps you’ll enjoy them for New Years? I think we’ll be doing that. The bars have a cookie base which has the flavour of toffee without the hardness typically found with toffee. Topped with smooth chocolate and sliced almonds, they’re sublime.
Toffee Bars
Ingredients
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp millet flour (2.55 oz / 73 g)
1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour (2.40 oz / 67 g)
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp sweet rice flour (1.90 oz / 56 g)
1/4 cup brown rice flour (1.30 oz / 35 g)
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar (7.40 oz / 210 g)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds (or chopped almonds)
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and get out a 9 by 13 inch pan.
Whisk together all of the flours in a medium bowl, until aerated and uniform in colour.
In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolk, vanilla, butter and brown sugar. Add the flours, and mix until incorporated. Spread dough uniformly into your pan. It will be fairly thin.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Return to the oven for a few minutes, then remove and spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface. Sprinkle with almonds and allow to cool.
Cut into squares and enjoy!
I had the last one. My dad gave me that look. You know the one, where that means that I’ve got to make more, asap.
The bonus to making more, is that I get some too. Would you like a bite?
I hope you are enjoying the holidays. May your new year be filled with health and happiness.
xoxo
Lauren
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Lauren- I just found your blog through a RT by the Gluten Free Girl and am so excited to see this! I’m a college student who is just starting a gluten-free diet and need all the resources I can get. This is amazing; thank you for sharing your life and recipes. Off to add you to my google reader!
Hugs, Brit
Hi Lauren – just reading “salted butter, chocolate chips, brown sugar, and almonds” makes my mouth water. I will have to try these! Pictures are delectable.
oh HONEY! these look so good, nice work Lauren
So glad you’re starting to feel better! xoxo
I’m so glad that you’re feeling better! What a nice Christmas present. As soon as I get a new cartridge for my printer, these bars will join the other recipes of yours that I have in a file. I got a kitchen scale with a tare function for a gift and am now converting my recipes to weights versus volume. So much faster and accurate. So I finally could make your fluffy gf pancakes. They are the exact replica of our former gluten full ones that I have been unable to replicate. Thanks for all your work.
YUM. I was thinking of making some more “Almond Roca” candy…but, now that I see these…I’m thinking they look much easier and just as (if not MORE) tasty!
These look great, Lauren! I can’t wait to try them, I’ve got it printed out already. So glad to hear that you’re feeling better, just in time for the holidays. Nice!
Good to hear you’re feeling better. Hope you had a great Christmas!
Nisrine
Sublime is one word! Wow!
Those look awesome Lauren! Glad to hear you have enjoyed your holidays as well!
Sounds like these bars got quite a reaction! I’m glad you’re feeling better. Happy New Year to you!
These look terrific Lauren and your photos do too! Now that I know we share the same camera I’ll be looking even more closely. For tips!
Glad to hear you’re feeling better too and here’s to a wonderful New Year filled with Health and Happiness for you!
These are absolutely delicious! I had to make a couple substitutions, but the end result was just as yummy! Thanks so much for sharing these recipes, as a teenager who can’t eat soy or gluten this website has made it so much easier, and this is definitely one of my favorite things!
Hi, my daughter has recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. I would like to surprise her with with your Toffee Almond Bars, however, I do not have millet flour what other flour could I substitute. I thank you for putting these recipes on line. Josey