Back in December I asked if anyone had a recipe for a Florentine-type cookie bar. I was thinking of some really wonderful ones I remembered an old friend used to make at Christmas, but then I became distracted with lefse and tourtiere, and never did a thing about these bars. Still Sylvia Wilder in Brooksville and my neighbor Jan Durkee sent along recipes. Now Jan’s were called Florentines all right, but they made something different from what I recalled. Sylvia’s recipe made what I remembered but was called “Yummy Bars.” Go figure.

At any event, they are both good, but since the Yummy Bars have the chocolate layer over the cooked short crust dough that I liked so much, we’ll save Jan’s delicious sounding recipe for another time.

There is a story behind Sylvia’s recipe. She first had these when she visited Isle Au Haut “years ago” and stayed with Judi Burke at the Keeper’s House. Judi packed a picnic lunch, which Sylvia described as “so caringly prepared with her homemade wheat bread, a bottle of sparkling cider and these Yummy Bars for dessert.” Sylvia never forgot the bars, and apparently in November 1992 saw that Judi had shared the recipe in the local paper. Since then, Sylvia says she has made them many times and given them as gifts. I think they are just the ticket for a summer dessert next to a scoop of ice cream or sherbet, or a bowl of fresh berries.

It is a two-step recipe. You make a dough to bake in a pan, then mix the topping separately and spread it over the baked dough, and bake it again. The recipe calls for walnuts, but would be good with pecans, too.

Yummy Bars

Serves 12 (if everyone only has one)

Cookie dough:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Chocolate layer:

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup chocolate bits

For the dough (prepare this first) Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy; stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, then add them to the creamed mixture, blending well. Press into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool somewhat.

For the chocolate layer (prepare this second) Combine the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt beating until mixture is thick. Stir in the nuts and chocolate bits, and spoon over the baked cookie dough, spreading to make an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes. When done, cool enough for the chocolate to set then cut into 12 (or more) bars.

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848. E-mail: tastebuds@prexar.com. For recipes, tell us where they came from. List ingredients, specify number of servings and do not abbreviate measurements. Include name, address and daytime phone number.