Congo Bars

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9x13-inch metal baking pan
• •Parchment paper
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Offset spatula
• •Sharp chef's knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on the long sides. This creates handles for lifting the whole slab out later. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or cooking spray.

   Metal pans conduct heat better than glass for bar cookies. If using glass, reduce oven temperature to 325°F and add 5 minutes to the bake time.
2. 2

   Combine butter and sugar

   In a large bowl, stir the melted butter and brown sugar together until thoroughly combined. The mixture should look like wet sand with a glossy sheen. Let it sit for 2 minutes. This brief rest begins dissolving the sugar, which contributes to the chewy texture we're after.

3. 3

   Add eggs and vanilla

   Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until the mixture looks smooth and slightly ribbony. Pour in the vanilla and stir to incorporate. The batter should have a satiny appearance with no visible streaks of egg.

   Room temperature eggs emulsify more readily into the butter-sugar mixture. Cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize and create a grainy texture.
4. 4

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This takes ten seconds and ensures even distribution of the leavening. Dump the dry ingredients into the wet and stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky. A few small flour streaks remaining is better than overmixing.

5. 5

   Fold in chocolate and nuts

   Add the chocolate chips and nuts (if using) to the batter. Fold them in with broad strokes until evenly distributed throughout. Reserve a small handful of chips to press into the top if you want a more photogenic finish.

6. 6

   Spread into pan

   Scrape the batter into your prepared pan. It will be stiff. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon dampened with water to spread it into an even layer, pushing it into the corners. The batter should reach all edges with uniform thickness. Press any reserved chocolate chips gently into the surface.

7. 7

   Bake until set

   Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The bars are done when the top is golden brown and set, but a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Not wet batter, not bone dry. Moist crumbs. The edges will look slightly darker and may have pulled away from the pan just barely.

   These bars continue cooking as they cool. Pulling them when slightly underdone in the center ensures a chewy result. Overbaked Congo Bars turn cakey and lose their appeal.
8. 8

   Cool completely

   Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, preferably 3. Patience matters here. Cutting them warm yields a gooey mess. Once completely cool, use the parchment handles to lift the entire slab onto a cutting board.

9. 9

   Cut and serve

   Using a sharp chef's knife, cut into 24 bars (a 6x4 grid). Wipe the blade clean between cuts for neat edges. The bars should be dense and chewy with pockets of melted chocolate throughout and a slightly crackly top.

Chef Tips

• •The quality of your brown sugar matters. Fresh, moist brown sugar produces chewier bars. If yours has hardened into a brick, place it in a bowl with a damp paper towel, cover, and microwave in 20-second bursts until soft.
• •For deeper flavor, use dark brown sugar instead of light. The extra molasses intensifies the butterscotch notes and gives the bars a darker, more dramatic color.
• •Semisweet chips are traditional, but a mix of semisweet and bittersweet (60-70% cacao) adds complexity. Chop a good chocolate bar into irregular chunks for rustic appeal and varied melt.
• •Toast your nuts before adding them. Five minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, transforms their flavor from background noise to featured player.
• •These bars improve overnight. The flavors meld, the texture becomes denser. Bake them the day before you need them.

Advance Preparation

• •Batter can be made and spread in the pan up to 24 hours ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Add 5 minutes to the baking time when baking from cold.
• •Baked bars keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Layer between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking.
• •For longer storage, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. They freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or enjoy slightly frozen for an ice cream sandwich texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 35g)