If a caramel latte with additional drizzle is your espresso store drink of selection, this dessert recipe is for you. Candy, gooey and salty Caramel Bars solely require 6 easy elements that you have already got in your pantry: flour, granulated sugar, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and heavy cream.
For those who’re the kind of one who needs it was socially acceptable to drink caramel by way of a straw, this recipe is for you. (I’m a kind of individuals, too!) You also needs to sip my caramel latte whereas baking.
This is a superb means to make use of my small batch caramel sauce recipe. You’ll solely want half of that recipe (or ½ cup) to make these caramel bars. In fact you need to use a store-bought caramel, too, however please word that sauce is completely different from caramel ice cream topping (which is usually too skinny and watery).
The Substances
To make the caramel sauce from scratch, you will have:
- Sugar. We are going to dissolve one cup of granulated sugar in ¼ cup of water to begin the caramel sauce.
- Heavy Cream. We’d like ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream for this recipe.
- Butter. One tablespoon of butter. We stir in butter on the finish of creating caramel sauce as a result of including fats stops the cooking course of. This prevents the caramel from persevering with to darken and caramelize because it cools.
- Salt. It is a salted caramel sauce recipe, so we want 1 full teaspoon of effective sea salt. Moreover, I like to brighten these caramel bars with the Maldon model of large-flake sea salt earlier than serving.
- Vanilla. One teaspoon of vanilla extract to deepen the flavour of the do-it-yourself salted caramel sauce.
For the shortbread crust on the caramel bars, you will have:
- Butter. We’d like 14 tablespoons of unsalted butter (softened) to make the shortbread portion of this recipe. We’ll use about three-quarters of the shortbread for the underside crust, after which we’ll sprinkle the remaining one-quarter on prime decoratively (see pictures for reference).
- Powdered Sugar. I all the time use ½ cup of powdered sugar in shortbread crust to maintain it gentle and flaky, but when you have no, you would use an equal quantity of granulated sugar.
- Flour. One and a half cups plus two tablespoons of flour to make the shortbread curst.
Learn how to Make Caramel Bars
First, make the caramel sauce: whisk collectively the sugar and water in a deep sauce pan. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, flip the warmth to medium excessive.
The combination will begin to bubble, and slowly will flip a golden brown. Don’t stir! When the combination is as golden brown as you want your caramel sauce to be, flip off the warmth and add the heavy cream.
The combination will bubble up furiously (watch out, again up!). This is the reason we’re utilizing a deep saucepan! After a number of the effervescent calms down, whisk within the butter and salt. Then, lastly whisk within the vanilla. As soon as clean, pour right into a jar or bowl to chill.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.
Now, make the shortbread crust: in a big bowl, mix the butter, powdered sugar, flour, and salt. Deliver this combination collectively utilizing a pastry blender or two knives. It must be crumbly however maintain collectively when squeezed in your hand.
Press three-quarters of the crust into an 8 or 9-inch sq. pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Press it flat with floured fingers.
Drizzle one-half cup of the caramel sauce over the underside crust. You’ll have one other ½ cup of sauce leftover for one more recipe! Dot the remaining crust excessive of the caramel sauce, bake for 30-35 minutes till the perimeters are set. Let cool utterly earlier than making an attempt to slice.
To be truthful, I solely examined this recipe as you see written that features with my do-it-yourself model. My caramel is thick sufficient to pour and drizzle but additionally maintain its form when baked. It’s best to have nice outcomes in the event you experiment with a store-bought jar of artisanal caramel. Nonetheless, DO NOT USE CARAMEL TOPPING OR ICE CREAM SAUCE. Caramel topping is far too skinny and watery for this recipe to have nice outcomes. The additional moisture will trigger the crust to be overly soggy.
Sure, double the recipe for the crust precisely as written, and use the whole batch of caramel sauce (1 cup) to make this in a 9×13-inch pan. I’ve made these caramel bars in a 9×13 pan for vacation present giving, and it really works completely.
I did not take a look at the recipe with store-bought sugar cookie dough. I do know that the shortbread crust within the pictures seems to be much like a roll of cookie dough, and also you may be tempted to strive it. In actuality, shortbread crust has far much less sugar than sugar cookie dough. I imagine the surplus sugar from the sugar cookie dough will make these caramel bars too soggy and tender. It is actually finest to comply with the recipe as-written right here.
Yield: 9
Caramel Bars
Gooey, salty chewy excellent caramel bars in an 8 or 9 inch sq. pan.
Prep Time
quarter-hour
Cook dinner Time
half-hour
Extra Time
half-hour
Complete Time
1 hour quarter-hour
Substances
- Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream, warmed
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon effective sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the caramel bars:
- 14 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon effective sea salt
- ½ cup salted caramel sauce
Directions
- First, make the caramel: in a deep saucepan (no less than 2 quarts—no smaller as a result of the combination
bubbles up), add the sugar and water. Whisk to mix. - As soon as the sugar is dissolved, take away the whisk and wash it. Flip the warmth to excessive and let the
combination come to a robust bubble. You’r ready for it to show a medium amber shade. It would take
about 7-10 minutes. It’s necessary that you simply DO NOT STIR throughout this course of in any respect!
As soon as the combination is an amber shade, flip off the warmth. - Add the warmed cream to the pan. Watch out—it can bubble up so much!
- Then, utilizing the clear whisk, add the butter and salt and whisk till the caramel is clean. On the very finish, whisk within the vanilla. Let cool till prepared to make use of.
- Now, make the bars: Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8” or 9” sq. pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Use two knives or a
pastry blender till the combination turns right into a tender, shaggy dough. It doesn’t need to be too excellent
however no streaks of flour! - Press ¾ of the dough into the underside of the ready pan.
- Drizzle ONLY ½ cup of the caramel sauce on prime. (You’ll have additional caramel leftover).
- Scatter the remaining dough into items excessive of the cookie bars. Bake for 30-35 minutes, till the perimeters are set. Let cool utterly, after which elevate out utilizing the parchment paper, slice and serve. It’s best to chop these bars once they’re cool or chilly.
Diet Data:
Yield:
9
Serving Dimension:
1
Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 328Complete Fats: 20gSaturated Fats: 13gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 7gLdl cholesterol: 55mgSodium: 354mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 0gSugar: 36gProtein: 1g
