Maple Walnut Sticky Bars with Clove Scented Shortbread

These shortbread bars have an irresistible crisp cookie bottom with a subtle hint of sweet, aromatic clove. The topping is quick and requires no additional baking. The result is a gooey toffee nut topping with a deep maple flavor. These bars are the perfect to finish off a meal as an accompaniment with a strong hot cup of coffee. Sweet, sticky, buttery and absolutely divine! The flavors intensify even more after a day or two making them a sought after leftover.

Ingredients for Shortbread

½ cup Organic Valley® butter, at room temperature

1¼ cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
3. Line with parchment paper allowing a two inch overhang on two sides. Butter the lining (not overhang).
4. Whisk together flour, salt, and ground cloves.
5. Put ½ cup butter, and ¼ cup brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.
6. Add flour mixture and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan and chill 30 minutes or overnight.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until shortbread is a pale golden color and set in the middle.

Ingredients for Walnut Topping

9 tablespoons Organic Valley® butter

2 cups walnut halves

1½ teaspoons pure maple syrup

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons maple sugar

¼ heaping teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

¼ cup + 1½ teaspoons Organic Valley® heavy cream or evaporated milk

Instructions

1. Place butter and walnuts in a medium sized saucepan, cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly until nuts are fragrant. This will take 3-4 minutes and you will also see the butter become foamy.
2. Add maple syrup, sugar, salt, corn syrup and cream.
3. Boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes.
5. Spread over the shortbread crust and let completely cool.
6. Lift shortbread out of dish using the parchment overhang.
7. Cut into sixteen 2 inch squares.
8. Cool and serve or store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Bars also freeze well for up to one month.