These delicious Hazelnut Praline Bars are a lot like praline candy, but it fantastic bar form.
The top of these bars caramelizes. These things are very sweet, with the nuts rendered softly crunchy. The combination of textures is just divine.
The slight drizzle of chocolate on top is the perfect accent, too. Funny how the tiniest bit of chocolate adds so much in terms of flavor.
A 6 ounce bag of hazelnuts will be the perfect amount for both the crust and nut layer, too.
Can you use other nuts? I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but why not? Praline candy traditionally uses pecans, after all. I bet using other nuts–or a combo–would be fine.
Hazelnuts are sure delicious and fun, though!
Bready or Not Original: Hazelnut Praline Bars
These very sweet, softly crunchy bars combine hazelnuts with just a touch of chocolate for a delectable treat. A 6-ounce bag of hazelnuts will give you the perfect amount.
Equipment
- 13x9 pan
- food processor
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened, 1 1/2 sticks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Nut Layer
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 13 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
Topping
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Place the 1/2 cup hazelnuts in a food processor. Process until finely ground.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the next two crust ingredients, the brown sugar and butter. Add the flour and ground hazelnuts. Press crust into pan; a piece of wax paper and a heavy glass makes it easy to form an evenly compressed layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, put the remaining hazelnuts in the food processor and give them a quick pulse, just to coarsely chop them.
- As soon as the crust comes out, sprinkle the hazelnuts over the top. In a small saucepan, warm the butter and brown sugar to boiling at medium heat. Boil for a minute. Pour over hazelnuts.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until edges are bubbling and center is set. Cool completely.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, zap the chocolate in 25 second bursts, stirring well between each pass, until it can be stirred smooth. Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the bars.
- Chill in fridge for 30 minutes, or until chocolate is set. Use the foil to lift contents onto a cutting board and slice into bars.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature or in the fridge with waxed paper or parchment between the layers.
