Dream Bars

My sister, Liddy, has never met a dream bar she didn't like. I usually make her the standard, 7-layer variety. But for her most recent birthday, I wanted to make her something a little different. I opted for one with hazelnuts and a shortbread crust, adapted from Y'All Come Eat by the Deen Bros. She pronunced them both, well, absolutely dreamy.

7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (6 oz.) butterscotch chips
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for a glass baking dish).

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press crumb mixture firmly on the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan, then pour sweetened condensed milk over.

Layer remaining ingredients evenly; press firmly down with fork.

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool. Cut bars and serve. Store covered at room temperature.

Hazelnut Dream Bars

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling
2 large eggs
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup shredded coconut
3/4 chopped hazelnuts
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse the butter until just combined. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 13 by 9 baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and baking powder. Stir in the coconut, hazelnuts and chocolate chips. Spread the filling over the crust while still warm. Bake for 20 minutes.