The Dallas Morning News Central Market Holiday Cookie Contest 2018
FIRST PLACE, BAR
No Place Like Home (a.k.a. Dallas) Upside Down Bars
Rex Poland, Dallas
2 cups toasted pecan pieces (divided use) (see Note)
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut (divided use)
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces German chocolate squares
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (divided use)
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces powdered sugar, sifted
Heat oven to 350 F. Line bottom and sides of a 13x9 pan with nonstick foil, leaving flaps extending beyond ends for removing bars after baking. Lightly butter the pan.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup toasted pecan pieces, 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut, graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Press into the bottom of the pan.
In a double boiler, melt German chocolate with 1/2 cup butter and mix until smooth and silky. Whisk together melted chocolate and brown sugar until blended. Beat in 2 eggs until blended. Beat in buttermilk. Stir in flour. Spread gently across the lined pan with an offset spreader.
Sprinkle batter surface with remaining 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut and remaining 1 cup toasted pecan pieces. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and remaining 1/2 cup butter, both room temperature. Beat at low speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar. Beat again until smooth. Drop by spoonfuls over sprinkled batter. This will sink during baking, creating a rich filling finish when turned upside down.
Bake 35-45 minutes, just until a tester comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift out of the pan by foil ends and invert carefully on a large cutting board surface. Peel away foil. Cut with a bench scraper into bars and present in cupcake paper liners.
Note: To toast pecans, heat oven to 350 F. Spread pecans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 5-10 minutes until aromatic and darkened in color as desired.
Makes 36 bars.
PER BAR: 271 calories, 15 g fat (7 g sat fat), 30 mg cholesterol, 32 g carbohydrates, 41 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 27 g sugar
SOURCE: Rex Poland, Dallas
