It all started because I needed to come up with something fast for our first football tailgate gathering of the year. Hmmm…thoughts circled around a bar cookie of sorts, but it had to be something I could tuck into a Ziplock bag for munching on during the game (you know, if it went on FOREVER). I saw a recipe for Pecan Bars…close, but not exactly hitting the spot. Hey, wait a second! Let’s capitalize on what’s right in our own back yard. Did you know that Oregon is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world? All the more reason to give them a spin. And so, the Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was born.
A thin and rich crust that will remind you a little of shortbread. But the star of this show is the hazelnuts, and there are a ton of them. First lightly oiled, salted, and roasted, and then roughly chopped and stirred into a magical combination of, among other things, brown sugar and milk chocolate. This will blow your mind and I’m not kidding. To make it even easier, all of this can be made in one bowl. No mixer. No food processor. Just you, a bowl and a spoon. Have at it.
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