Salted Chocolate Caramel Bars with Video
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Cookies for Kids Cancer is Happening in September
OXO provided the bakeware and kitchen tools for this recipe for salted chocolate caramel bars. Dorie Greenspan is gifting each participant with a signed copy of her new book, Dorie’s Cookies.
I’m always up for a good cause, a good bite, and a good kitchen product. We are partnering up with OXO and Dorie Greenspan to support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
Oxo will donate $100 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer for each blog post (up to our $100,000 commitment*), and I am participating. (Please watch video below as I bake these salted chocolate cookie bars).
These Salted Chocolate Caramel Bars are Addicting
The salted chocolate caramel bars were fairly easy to make, and oh so delicious. I particularly love the salt in both the shortbread crust and in the chocolate caramel. I’ve made plenty of caramel in this kitchen, but never thought of adding in some dark chocolate. It’s dreamy. The bars, cut very well, and the Brownie Spatula is perfect for scooping them out.
I’m not a huge cookie person, but between the salt, chocolate, gooey caramel and pecans, these are a perfect bite, and hard to stay away from.
Salted Chocolate Caramel Bar Video
OXO sent me two baking dishes with lids. I used the Glass 3 Qt Baking Dish with Lid, perfect for cookie bars and brownies. I will use the Glass 2 Qt Baking Dish with Lid larger baking dish for cakes and lasagna. This is what I love about OXO. They are made from BPA-free borosilicate glass, which can withstand extreme temperature changes, enabling you to take something from the refrigerator to the oven. The glass pans have handles, making it easy to take out of the oven, and they have slosh-proof lids.
OXO also provided a Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer, which I used to mix the shortbread bottom. It has digital controls and a light which shines into your mix. The coolest thing is that it stands upright for storage and while using.
My Cooking Notes to Help Your Success with Salted Chocolate Caramel Bars
- Mise en place. This is a slightly complicated cookie recipe, because you will be making caramel. My preparation ran smoothly is to have everything measured and in its place.
- Since there are two parts to this cookie, place the ingredients of the two parts in two places.
- I put the shortbread ingredients on one counter, where I was using the mixer.
- I put the chocolate caramel ingredients on the counter at the stove, in the order they would be used. The cream must be at room temperature to prevent curdling. (you can microwave to bring the temperature down.)
- Toast your pecans before you make your shortbread and set them to the side. Place them into hot caramel.
- You can make the caramel while the chocolate shortbread is in the oven. I waited for ten minutes before starting the caramel.
- Ideally, you want to pour that hot caramel over the hot shortbread, although it’s not imperative.
- Ideally, wait until the cookie bars are completely cooled before cutting.
- If you’re not cutting them right away, wait until completely cooled before using a lid or covering them.
Let’s connect on instagram. I post lots of pictures there that never make it here. Don’t forget to watch the video above.More Chocolate Recipes From Spinach Tiger
Salted Chocolate Caramel Bar Cookies Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup 136 grams all-purpose four
- 1/4 cup 21 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup 67 grams sugar 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
FOR THE CARAMEL TOPPING
- 1 cup 200 grams sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup 120 ml heavy cream, at room temperature (or slightly warmed in a microwave)
- 2 tablespoons 1 ounce; 28 grams unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and very so
- 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or a good-size pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 ounces 57 grams bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- About 1/2 cup 60 grams pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Generously butter (or spray) an 8-inch square pan.
Shortbread Instruction
- Whisk together the flour and cocoa powder.
- Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the mixer, add the dry ingredients all at once and beat on low until the dough comes together.
- This will take a little longer than you might expect, so don’t get discouraged. Give the dough a few last turns with a flexible spatula and scrape it out into the pan. Using your fingertips, pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan; press down and make sure to get the dough into the corners.
- Bake the shortbread for 21 to 23 minutes, rotating the pan a er 10 minutes, or until it is slightly darker around the edges
- and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan; it will not feel completely firm if poked gently. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the shortbread to cool completely.
- TO MAKE THE CARAMEL TOPPING: Put a heatproof bowl close to the stovetop, along with a small bowl of cold water
- and a pastry brush (preferably silicone).
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Generously butter (or spray) an 8-inch square pan.
- Whisk together the flour and cocoa powder.
- Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer, add the dry ingredients all at once and beat on low until the dough comes together. This will take a little longer than you might expect, so don’t get discouraged. Give the dough a few last turns with a flexible spatula and scrape it out into the pan. Using your fingertips, pat the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan; press down and make sure to get the dough into the corners.
- Bake the shortbread for 21 to 23 minutes, rotating the pan every 10 minutes, or until it is slightly darker around the edges and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan; it will not feel completely firm if poked gently. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow the shortbread to cool completely.
Make Caramel Topping
- Put a heatproof bowl close to the stovetop, along with a small bowl of cold water and a pastry brush (preferably silicone).
- Put the sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan or skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Allow the ingredients to bubble away, brushing down the sides of the pan with cold water if there are spatters and swirling the pan a couple of times once you start seeing some color, until the caramel turns a pale to medium amber.
- (Don’t let it get as dark as mahogany.) Lower the heat, stand away from the pan and add the cream, followed by the butter and salt — ingredients that might cause the caramel to roil.
- Remove the pan from the heat, drop in the chocolate and, using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, stir to blend.
- Pour the hot caramel over the shortbread and sprinkle with the nuts. Allow to set at room temperature.
- When the caramel is firm, run a table knife around the sides of the pan, care- fully unmold the cookie onto a rack and turn it over onto a cutting board. Using a long thin knife, cut 21 bars (cut into 3 strips and then cut each strip into 7 bars). Alternatively, leave the cookie whole and cut individual bars as needed.
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If you love this recipe, please give it five stars. It means a lot. xoxo
These look like winners. GREG
The inclusion of dark chocolate and a shortbread crust really sold me! These look fantastic, and so easy to transport and share.
Thanks, Yes, easy to transport, Anne, which made me think perfect to bring to a potluck or any holiday party.