Cocoa Bars

-----------------------------------CRUST----------------------------------- 6 tb Butter or margarine

-- softened 3/4 c C and H Powdered Sugar

1 c All-purpose flour

1 tb Milk

----------------------------------TOPPING---------------------------------- 2 Eggs

1 c C and H Granulated Sugar

1/2 c Cocoa

2 tb Flour

1/2 ts Baking powder

1/2 ts Salt

1 ts Vanilla

1/4 ts Almond extract (optional)

1 c Chopped almonds or pecans

CRUST: Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Blend in 1 cup flour and milk. Spread evenly in bottom of ungreased 9-inch square pan. Bake in 350 degree oven 10 to 12 minutes.

TOPPING: Beat eggs slightly; combine dry ingredients and add to eggs. Blend in vanilla and almond extract; fold in almonds. Spread over hot baked layer; return to oven and bake 20 minutes longer. Cool; while warm, cut into 24 bars. Reprinted with permission from _From our Private Collection_ From the C and H Sugar Kitchen Electronic format by Karen Mintzias