Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)(89)

“I do know, but in North America the names are used interchangeably. It’s not entirely correct, but it’s so common, it’s acceptable. If we lived in South America or Africa, we’d have Cape Buffalo or Water Buffalo and they’re entirely different. Our North American buffalo or bison roamed the plains and our bison is a bovid.”

“Like cows?”

“Yes. I also know how they got the name Buffalo Plaid if you’re interested.”

“I am. Tell me.”

“A company called Woolrich Woolen Mills made shirts in the eighteen-fifties with a large checkerboard design. Legend has it that their designer owned a herd of buffalo and that’s why they called the design Buffalo Plaid.”

Norman picked up the phone he’d put down on the work station. “I wonder if I should run out to your complex and give this phone to Clara now.”

“Yes, I think you should. And I also think you should run out to the sheriff’s station on your way and show Mike your enhanced photo. I’d go with you, but . . . I don’t really want to go back to the condo complex, at least not yet.”

“Of course you don’t. I can stop at the sheriff’s station, take Clara her new phone, and be back here in an hour. Then I can take you back to the penthouse.”

“Good. I’ve got one more thing I want to do before I leave anyway. And that’s about as long as it’ll take me.”





BUTTERSCOTCH CHOCOLATE BAR COOKIES

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.



The Crust and Topping:



2 cups (4 sticks, 16 ounces, 1 pound) salted butter softened to room temperature 1 cup white (granulated) sugar 1 and ? cups powdered (confectioners) sugar 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract 4 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)





The Butterscotch Chocolate Filling:



12.25-ounce jar butterscotch ice cream topping (I used Smucker’s)

12-ounce bag (approximately 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Nestlé)

1 Tablespoon sea or Kosher salt (the coarse-ground kind)





Before you begin to make the crust and filling, spray a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with Pam or another nonstick baking spray.



Hannah’s 1st Note: This crust and filling is a lot easier to make with an electric mixer. You can do it by hand, but it will take some muscle.



Combine the butter, white sugar, and powdered sugar in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at MEDIUM speed until the mixture is light and creamy.



Add the vanilla extract. Mix it in until it is thoroughly combined.



Add the flour in half-cup increments, beating at LOW speed after each addition. Beat until everything is combined.



Hannah’s 2nd Note: When you’ve mixed in the flour, the resulting sweet dough will be soft. Don’t worry. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.



Measure out a heaping cup of sweet dough and place it in a sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and put it in the refrigerator.



With impeccably clean hands, press the rest of the sweet dough into the bottom of your prepared cake pan. This will form a bottom crust. Press it all the way out to the edges of the pan and a half-inch up the sides, as evenly as you can. Don’t worry if your sweet dough is a bit uneven. It won’t matter to any of your guests.



Bake your bottom crust at 325 degrees F., for approximately 20 minutes or until the edges are beginning to turn a pale golden brown color.



When the crust has turned pale golden brown, remove the pan from the oven, but DON’T SHUT OFF THE OVEN! Set the pan with your baked crust on a cold stovetop burner or a wire rack to cool. It should cool approximately 15 minutes.



After your crust has cooled approximately 15 minutes, take the lid off the jar of butterscotch ice cream topping and put it in the microwave.



Heat the butterscotch topping for 15 to 20 seconds on HIGH.



Let the jar cool in the microwave for 1 minute. Then use potholders to take the jar out of the microwave.



Pour the butterscotch ice cream topping over the baked bottom crust in the pan as evenly as you can.



Smooth it out to the edges of your crust with a heat-resistant spatula.



Open the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips and sprinkle them over the butterscotch ice cream topping as evenly as you can.



Here comes the salt! Sprinkle the Tablespoon of sea salt or Kosher salt over the butterscotch layer in the pan.



Take the remaining sweet dough out of the refrigerator and unwrap it. It has been refrigerated for 35 minutes or more and it should be thoroughly chilled.



With your impeccably clean fingers, crumble the dough over the butterscotch and chocolate chip layer as evenly as you can. Leave a little space between the crumbles, so the butterscotch sauce can bubble up through the crumbles.



Hannah’s 3rd Note: If the butterscotch topping bubbles up through the top of your bar cookies, it will look very pretty.



Return the pan to the oven and bake your bar cookies for 25 to 30 additional minutes, or until the crumbles on top are a light golden brown.