Salty-Sweet Pine Nut Bars

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 0.7 cup cake flour 
• 0.3 cup cornstarch 
• 3 ounces cream cheese fat-free
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.3 cup granulated sugar 
• 0.8 cup maple syrup 
• 0.5 cup pinenuts 
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar 
• 0.6 teaspoon salt divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Equipment

• oven
• knife
• whisk
• blender
• baking pan
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 40
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife.
3. Combine flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk.
4. Cut in cream cheese and butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray; pat mixture evenly into pan.
6. Bake at 400 for 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 35
8. Combine maple syrup and next 3 ingredients (through eggs), stirring with a whisk. Stir in pine nuts.
9. Pour syrup mixture over crust, spreading nuts evenly over top.
10. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
11. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until set. Cool.
12. Cut into 25 squares.