Martha's Pretzel Shortbread Snack Bars

Oh Martha, Martha, Martha!

If you've ever watched Martha or read her magazine (or even googled Martha), then you already know that sometimes her recipes are time consuming! Lucky for me (lucky for you? :)) I stumbled upon a quick and easy one. I'm just like you and I'm looking for quick recipes. (Although, give me that blustery, snowy day and I just might be inclined to cook and bake all day. Hmmm, it's only September. Time will only tell for 2011!!)

Recently I was flipping through Martha Stewart's magazine and came across her recipe for a pretzel shortbread snack bar. I was intrigued. Below is my version of the recipe. (Find the original in the October Martha Stewart magazine page 86.)

Pretzel Shortbread Snack Bar Recipe
Serves: makes 16 bars
Time: 15-20 minutes prep. 35 minute bake time. 1 hour cool time.

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups salted mini-pretzels (or which equates to approximately 81 mini-pretzels)
1/4 cup 100% whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 extra large egg yolk

Directions:
1. Make sure your butter is soft and at room temperature before beginning.
2. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Place a sheet of wax paper in a glass 9x9 pan
4. Pulse 1.75 cups pretzels in a food processor until in powder form.
5. Transfer pretzel flour to a bowl. (This should equate to 1/2 cup flour. Measure and discard extra. Of note, I did not have any waste!)
6. Mix flour and baking powder into pretzel powder.
7. Pour the remaining 1.5 cups of pretzels into the food processor. Pulse only a few times until the pretzels are coarsely chopped.
8. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with a mixer on low/medium speed until pale in color and fluffy (this takes at least a couple minutes.)
9. On low speed, mix egg yolk into mixture.
10. Next, add in pretzel flour. Of note, when using a blender the dough becomes chunky.
11. Use a spoon and mix in half of the chopped pretzels.
12. Pour dough into wax papered glass pan and press evenly with your fingers.
13. Pour the remainder of the pretzels on top of the dough; press gently.
14. Bake until light brown in color and the center if firm by touch. This takes approximately 35 minutes.
15. Let cool for one hour on a wire rack.
16. Cut into 16 pieces with a serrated knife!
17. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts:
Serving: 1 bar
110 calories
1.5 tsp added table sugar
6g fat (mostly saturated)

Additional Comments: One bar makes a tasty treat for all you salt/sweet lovers. Two bars makes a great snack during the work week when breakfast is at 6am and lunch isn't until 1pm!