Try these English toffee crunch bars (and yes, they’re easy)

We may have posted a dessert recipe recently, but that doesn’t mean we can’t post one again.

Especially when it comes to these English toffee crunch bars from reader Linda Lenhardt, who also shared last week’s recipe for an easy cucumber salad.

You don’t have to worry about cooking the toffee to a perfect temperature, buying a candy thermometer, or totally burning the mixture and ruining your dessert plans. This recipe involves bringing your toffee mixture to a quick boil, then immediately pouring it over a baked cookie base and popping it in the oven for 10 minutes.

A chocolate and pecan topping will finish it off for the perfect crunchy sweet treat.

English Toffee Crunch Bars

For the cookie base:

2 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 50 wafers)

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter, melted

For the toffee:

½ cup butter (one stick)

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 to 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in butter. Press into 9×13 baking pan. Bake 8 minutes.

Once the cookie base has been baked, combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil, about 1 minute. Pour immediately over baked cookie base and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let stand until chocolate chips are shiny and soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and chill.

Cut into 1×2-inch squares or break into irregular pieces. Makes about 4 ½ dozen.

Help keep Food Forum going! Send your favorite recipes to reporter Taylor Goebel at taylor.goebel@heraldnet.com.