Not-Your-Mama's Toffee Bars

While figuring out what to make for a cookie exchange (in addition to my signature snickerdoodles, of course), I stumbled upon a recipe for toffee bars that made me a little bit sad.  There was nothing wrong with the recipe, per se.  It called for a nice coating of semisweet chocolate with some toasted almonds scattered on top.  The problem was, this recipe could have been SO MUCH BETTER!  Why would you use semisweet chocolate and wimpy toasted almonds when you could use DARK CHOCOLATE, actual TOFFEE pieces, and roasted SALTED ALMONDS!?  I just don't understand it!  It's like the recipe author wanted those bars to be mediocre.  I knew I could rebuild them.  I had the technology (a.k.a. a nearby Trader Joe's).  Better than they were before.  Better, chocolate-ier, saltier.  And for this reason, I shall call them...

Six Million Dollar Bars
(makes 36 bars)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup toffee pieces 
3/4 cup roasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 13 x 9" baking dish.  In a large bowl (or the bowl of your mixer), beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and salt and continue stirring.  Mix in the flour a little bit at a time until completely incorporated.  Scoop the dough into the baking dish and use your finger tips to spread it into an even layer.  If the dough is sticky, try wetting your fingertips.  Place the dish into the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and slightly puffed, about 20-22 minutes.  When the crust is done, remove it from the oven and scatter the chopped dark chocolate on top.  Return the dish to the oven for another 2-3 minutes to melt the chocolate.  Remove the dish from the oven and use a knife or offset spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the crust.  Then, sprinkle the toffee pieces and almonds over the chocolate.  

Resist the urge to just dig in with a fork... at least until the chocolate cools

Allow the bars to cool completely.  I recommend refrigerating them for about an hour before trying to cut them.  Use a sharp knife to cut them into (relatively) even pieces, I wound up with 36 (not even close to even) bars.  

Sure to be a cookie exchange hit!