Recipe: Vienna Chocolate Bars, Favorite of President Ronald Reagan

VIENNA CHOCOLATE BARS
Favorite of President Ronald Reagan

Presidential Favorite Cookie recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided use
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 (10 oz) jar raspberry jelly*
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 egg whites
2 cups finely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter, 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 egg yolks. Add flour and salt and knead with fingers. Pat batter flat onto a greased cookie sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove cookie sheet from oven.

Spread jelly across baked cookie crust, and top with chocolate chips.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in remaining 1 cup of sugar and nuts. Gently spread egg white mixture on top of jelly and chocolate chips.

Bake again 25 minutes. Cut into squares or bars.

*Using jam instead of jelly makes flavor richer. Other berry jams can be substituted for raspberry.

Makes 2 dozen bars
Source: Post and Courier newspaper, Oct 29, 2008