White Chip Lemon Streusel Bars

I love making treats that impress and pleasantly surprise anyone that tries them.  This one is also pretty easy to make and very easy to cut small and share with large groups.  I love milk and dark chocolate but sometimes the refreshing zest of lemon hits the spot.

Get your oven heating up while you work on the layers.  Start by combining the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon zest in a bowl and then stir in a portion of the white chocolate chips.  You will separate out 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup of white chocolate chips for the other layers.  The rest are for this layer.

When that is mixed up, set aside.  Next, beat together the butter and brown sugar, add flour, oats, pecans, baking power and salt.

Remove 1 2/3 cup of that mixture and set it aside.
Add egg to to remaining mixture (the larger amount), blending until crumbly.  Press that mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Gently spoon lemon mixture on top, spreading it out evenly.

Add the reserved 1/3 cup of white chocolate chips to the reserved crumb mixture and sprinkle that over the lemon layer.
Press that lightly into the lemon layer and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Cool in the pan on wire rack.

While that is cooling, take the last of the chocolate chips and melt in the microwave, starting at 30 seconds, stirring after every interval until smooth. Drizzle that onto the bars.

You will want to wait until these have cooled to cut them into squares so they will better stay together.  I couldn't wait to eat one of these again so I cut them pretty quickly!
While not easy to cut and serve while warm, they are even more amazing!

White Chip Lemon Streusel Bars

Ingredients
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp freshly grated lemon peel
2 cups white chocolate chips, divided
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats (rolled or quick cooking)
3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces*
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 tsp canola or vegetable oil

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 13x9 baking pan. Combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and lemon peel in medium bowl; set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup white chips; set aside. Add remaining white chips to lemon mixture.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar until blended in large mixer bowl. Add flour, oats, pecans, baking powder and sal to butter mixture, blending well. Remove 1-2/3 cups oats mixture; set aside. Add egg to remaining mixture, blending until crumbly. Press egg/crumb mixture on bottom of prepared pan. Gently spoon lemon mixture on top, spreading evenly. Add reserved 1/3 cup white chips to reserved crumb mixture. Sprinkle over lemon layer, pressing crumbs lightly.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on wire rack. Place remaining 1/4 cup white chips and oil in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave for 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over bars. Allow drizzle to set; cut into bars. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

 *To toast pecans: Heat oven to 350°F. Spread pecans in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown; cool.