December 30:
Here in the Midwest, we have a food phenomena that other regions may not be aware of. Bars. As in, “Marge, do ya think you could bring a pan of bars for the potluck?” Not quite a cookie, not quite cake, bars are an absolute staple of the Midwest treat repertoire. And I must say, these Headbanger Bars that my friend Jill brought to a cookie exchange yesterday are fabulous. Incredibly naughty, of course. Every time Jill brings Headbangers to a potluck, they disappear almost immediately. And they aren’t hard–they’d make a great quick standby for your holiday parties and hostess gifts.
Headbanger Bars:
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 2 c. pecans, chopped (walnuts could also be used)
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) real butter (margarine will not work!)
- 1 large (7.5 oz) almond Hershey chocolate bar (Jill uses 2 bars to make it even more chocolatey)
- Approximately 7 whole graham crackers (not crumbs)
Directions:
Preheat oven for 350ºF. Butter a 9×13 pan. Line the bottom of the pan with graham crackers. In a medium saucepan on med/high heat, mix the butter (cut into smaller pieces for more even melting), brown sugar, and pecans. Let the mixture come to a boil, then set timer for 5 minutes. Stir constantly for 5 minutes of boiling (mixture will crystallize and become foamy.) Pour mixture over graham crackers and spread evenly. Bake at 350ºF for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately lay Hershey bar (broken into pieces) over mixture. Spread when melted. Cool. Cut into bar-size pieces (1 1/2″) before it is totally cooled and hardened.
Makes approx. 20-24 bars.
LB
So, Laura, is there a story behind calling these Headbanger Bars??
I read the title of this post and had to laugh, because I had a mental image of something SO funny! Anyway…..they looked totally low fat and non caloric, don’t they?
Dear Laura,
When I make that recipe I line the pan with parchment paper after buttering it for easier removal. Then after it has baked and cooled somewhat,I turn it over, peel off the paper and cut it on my cutting board. I have also used saltine crackers instead of graham crackers; the salt makes an interesting flavor combination with the sweet. If you don’t have a Hershey bar but do have chocolate chips, they can be melted and smoothed over the baked crackers.
Last Christmas I ended up making about six batches of these bars between church functions and gifts to friends and they are always a hit.
Joan
Oh Laura,
You made me laugh. I grew up in the midwest and I so know Marge and her potlucks. In fact Marge exemplifies most of my family back home.
Your friends bar recipe sounds great, and I like the suggestion of the saltine crackers. Salty and sweet are a great combination. I will try these for the next potluck or bake sale.
Miss Mary
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Well, Kate, yes they ARE totally low-fat and non-caloric, now that you mention it! I don’t really know why they’re called headbangers, except for maybe that much sugar and butter in a four-bite snack might lead to you feeling like you had banged your head on the wall?
Joan, thanks for the parchment paper tip–I’ll pass that along to Jill for her future use.
Mary, I have a LOT of Marge’s in my life, God bless them all.
Laura