Lethal Layers

As I've mentioned before, I'm not much of a baker. While making mouth-watering cakes comes naturally to some people, I seem to be baking impaired. There are approximately a dozen different baked concoctions, however, that I can reliably produce in an edible form. Most of the time.

Two of my sure-fire hits are taken from Diane Mott Davidson's wonderful book, Dying for Chocolate.* The first is Scout's Brownies, an over-the-top rich mix of three different forms of chocolate in one incredible bar. The second, Lethal Layers, I first made to take to a Parent's Night fourteen years ago, for the kids' club I volunteered for at church. Oh my. Saying they were a hit would be an understatement. Within a week I had given out at least nine copies of the recipe, and the bars started showing up at all sorts of functions.

Just a reminder ladies: I made them first. (hey, this is one of the few bars I can reliably make - let me at least have this!)

I need to take something to work as a "treat" for my birthday (something really seems backwards about the birthday girl supplying the treats!). A pan of Lethal Layers is on its second stint in the oven as I type.

Lethal Layers
Recipe By: Diane Mott Davidson - Dying for Chocolate
Serving Size : 32 bars

Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 cup pecan halves
2 each egg
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour -- approx., see below for instructions
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. Cut together with a pastry cutter or two knives scissor fashion the unsalted butter, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar and 1 cup all-purpose flour until crumbly. Pat into bottom of well buttered 9 x 13" pan. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. COOL.

When crust is cool, spread pecan halves evenly over it. Beat eggs with 1 cup brown sugar until thick. Add vanilla. Put salt and baking powder in bottom of a 1/4 cup measure; fill the rest of the way with flour. Stir into egg mixture. Pour over crust. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until center is baked. Cool thoroughly before cutting.

The egg/sugar/flour mix sort of caramelizes and comes up over the chocolate chips (use more than a cup of chips - I use semi-sweet). Truly to die for!

*Note that this is not a cookbook. Ms. Davidson writes mysteries, and her detective happens to be a caterer/chef. Each book has at least half a dozen recipes, several of which I've tried. While the books are worth finding for the food, the prose is pretty good as well!

Update: As further proof of my lack of baking prowess, take a look at the posts in the recipe category. I see I made the brownies for my birthday treat last year, and have double posted the spicy molasses cookie and deviled pecan recipes. Trust me, my regular cooking repetoire is much, much wider!