Salty Honey and Browned Butter Bars

Cheryl Day — cookbook author, pastry chef and co-owner of Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia — knows a thing or two about Southern baking. So it’s no surprise that these sweet and salty bars, adapted from her book, “Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking,” are reminiscent of rich, custardy chess pie. But Day brings a new twist to the Southern classic by using browned butter for its notes of toasted nuts and giving the treats a nuanced sweetness with a combination of white sugar, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and floral honey. She also balances the sugariness and heightens the flavors with a good dose of salt. Lyle’s Golden Syrup is a cane syrup with a light caramel flavor that’s popular in the U.K. It’s sold in most well-stocked grocery stores here in the U.S., but if it’s not available, you can mimic its flavor by combining 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 2½ tablespoons pure maple syrup. Refrigerate leftover bars in an airtight container for up to three days; bring to room temperature before serving.