Toffee Chocolate Nut Wedges

In most homes, leftovers are re-runs of dinner meals. But I'm constantly putting a third of a cake, the odd number of cupcakes or cookies, or a hunk of banana bread into the freezer. When I pull them out at some later date, it's like having a magic treat. There's also usually a stash of nuts in the freezer and odds & ends of buttercream or other frosting that didn't get used but that I can't bear to throw away.

I woke up this morning wanting to bake. I flipped through several books, looking at pages I'd marked. I came across this recipe, next to which I'd noted that it would be a good use for some leftover hazelnuts and a tub of ganache (what, have there been no spoons in this house all these long months?). Ok, both of those needed to get used. Soon. As in, today.

This is a basic shortbread made with brown sugar, easy-peasy as shortbread generally is. You could use a regular baking pan and cut it into little squares like a normal bar cookie. Or, you could dress it up in Sunday clothes - ruffled on the edges from a fluted tart pan, glazed with chocolate, decorated with nuts - and cut it into wedges.

Toffee Chocolate-Nut Bars from The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge