Crack Bars.
Officially these are called Salted Caramel and Almond Slice, but you can refer to them as "crack bars" like my work friend L does. All the teachers at work hate/love me when I bring them in, which is exactly the kind of reaction I look for when I bring baked goods into work. Yeah, I'm weird, whatever.
Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend making this, and then trying a small piece, and then giving away the rest because they are so freaking addictive.
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Above picture and following recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
Salted Caramel and Almond Slice
Shortbread Base -
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground (can substitute w/whatever nut you like best)
1/4 cup dried coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Filling -
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Topping -
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. (I generally make this in a 9.5 in pie dish. You can probably fit this in a 8 in square dish or a 10 in springform pan, etc. Just use whatever you have on hand that's approximately this size)
2. Make shortbread base. Mix flour, sugar, almonds, coconut, and salt. Add melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir until combined and then press into baking dish in a thin, even layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
3. While the base is baking, make the caramel filling. Mix honey, butter, condensed milk, and salt into a small pot and set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture boils. Let boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and pulls away from the side of the pot.
4. When shortbread base is finished baking, take out of the oven and pour caramel filling on top. Spread filling out evenly over the base. Set baking dish aside to cool a little before putting it in the fridge to chill. (Because I'm impatient, I usually place the warm/hot dish on a folded kitchen towel and then stick it the freezer to cool faster)
5. Make the chocolate layer. In a double boiler or small pot, melt chocolate chips, butter, and oil over low heat. Mix until it is melted and smooth. Spread evenly over the chilled caramel filling. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (coarse, flaky, etc. - whatever you have on hand). Refrigerate baking dish to harden the chocolate. Cut into small squares & om nom nom nom.
- - - - -
Fair warning, these are super rich and totally work the effort. The honey caramel filling is magical. The sweet/saltiness of the whole dessert is really what makes it, so if you want to *ahem* sprinkle a little more sea salt (going for medium coverage instead of light coverage), by all means do it.
If you make these, let me know how you like them ;)
Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend making this, and then trying a small piece, and then giving away the rest because they are so freaking addictive.
- - - - -
Above picture and following recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
Salted Caramel and Almond Slice
Shortbread Base -
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup almonds, finely ground (can substitute w/whatever nut you like best)
1/4 cup dried coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Filling -
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Topping -
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. (I generally make this in a 9.5 in pie dish. You can probably fit this in a 8 in square dish or a 10 in springform pan, etc. Just use whatever you have on hand that's approximately this size)
2. Make shortbread base. Mix flour, sugar, almonds, coconut, and salt. Add melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir until combined and then press into baking dish in a thin, even layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
3. While the base is baking, make the caramel filling. Mix honey, butter, condensed milk, and salt into a small pot and set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until mixture boils. Let boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and pulls away from the side of the pot.
4. When shortbread base is finished baking, take out of the oven and pour caramel filling on top. Spread filling out evenly over the base. Set baking dish aside to cool a little before putting it in the fridge to chill. (Because I'm impatient, I usually place the warm/hot dish on a folded kitchen towel and then stick it the freezer to cool faster)
5. Make the chocolate layer. In a double boiler or small pot, melt chocolate chips, butter, and oil over low heat. Mix until it is melted and smooth. Spread evenly over the chilled caramel filling. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt (coarse, flaky, etc. - whatever you have on hand). Refrigerate baking dish to harden the chocolate. Cut into small squares & om nom nom nom.
- - - - -
Fair warning, these are super rich and totally work the effort. The honey caramel filling is magical. The sweet/saltiness of the whole dessert is really what makes it, so if you want to *ahem* sprinkle a little more sea salt (going for medium coverage instead of light coverage), by all means do it.
If you make these, let me know how you like them ;)