Cranberry Turtle Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For base
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For topping
1 cup unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped (not thawed)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups pecans, toasted and cooled, then coarsely chopped (12 oz)
For decoration
2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped (not unsweetened)

Preparation

Make base: Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F
Line a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 short sides. Butter all 4 sides (but not bottom).
Blend flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor, then add butter and pulse until mixture begins to form small (roughly pea-size) lumps.
Sprinkle into baking pan, then press down firmly all over with a metal spatula to form an even layer.
Bake in middle of oven until golden and firm to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack.
Make topping: Melt butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245\u00b0F on thermometer, about 8 minutes. Carefully stir in cranberries, then boil until caramel returns to 245\u00b0F
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then stir in pecans until well coated. Working quickly, spread caramel topping over base, using a fork to distribute nuts and berries evenly. Cool completely.
Cut and decorate bars:.
Lift bars in foil from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 6 crosswise strips, then 6 lengthwise strips to form 36 bars.
Melt half of chocolate in top of a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a small heavy-duty sealable plastic bag. Seal bag and snip off a tiny piece of 1 corner to form a small hole, then pipe chocolate decoratively over bars. Let stand at room temperature until chocolate sets, about 1 hour.