Chocolate Crumb Bars

A delicate crumb base supports a creamy chocolate filling topped with chocolate chips and crunchy, butter cookie crumbs.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels - divided use
1 (14-ounce) can NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
2. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in flour, sugar and salt until crumbly. With floured fingers, press 2 cups crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan; reserve remaining mixture. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
3. Combine 1 cup morsels and sweetened condensed milk in a small, heavy-duty saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Spread over hot crust.
4. Stir nuts and remaining morsels into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over chocolate filling.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Makes 24 bars.

Recipe and photograph are the property of Nestlé® and Meals.com, used with permission.