Tuesdays with Dorie: Caramel Crunch Bars

February 24, 2009 · 14 Comments

Dorie calls them Caramel Crunch Bars, but without toffee bits, I guess I can’t really call mine that. Regardless, my version tasted just as fabulous. I don’t typically like crunchy/crispy cookies, but this version was simply smashing. Crumbly, chocolate-studded shortbread with a thick layer of chocolate and then a smattering of chopped pecans…yum.

After quite a few labor-intensive Dorie recipes, I was happy these cookies were chosen. I wish I had made them with the toffee bits the recipe called for, but I think that’s the beauty of these cookies–they’re really adaptable. You could top them with your favorite chopped nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter chips, marshmallows…anything, really.

Thanks, Whitney, for this week’s delicious pick! My adaptation of Dorie’s recipe is below, but to see the original, visit Whitney’s blog, What’s Left on the Table? And check out the other TWD bakers’ creations!

Recipe: Caramel Crunch Bars
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes 20 bars

For the Base

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 stick Smart Balance 50/50 Blend, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/8 cup turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the Topping

3 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat your oven to 375F. Butter a 8×8-inch baking pan and line with foil, butter the foil.

In a bowl, whisk together flours, espresso powder, salt and cinnamon.

Beat butter until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until almost incorporated. Add the chopped chocolate and mix only until dry ingredients disappear. Using spatula or fingertips press dough into buttered pan into a thin, even layer.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until base is bubbly. Remove pan and turn off oven.

Scatter chocolate chips evenly over hot base. Return pan to hot oven for 2-3 minutes until chocolate is soft. Remove from oven and immediately spread chocolate over bars using spatula or back of spoon. Sprinkle pecans over chocolate and allow to cool to room temperature.

If chocolate hasn’t set by the time the bars are cool, place in refrigerator briefly until chocolate firms up. Carefully lift bars out of pan using foil edges as handles. Cut into 20 bars.

Tags: Chocolate · Cookies · Dessert · Tuesdays with Dorie

14 responses so far ↓

1 Chris // Feb 24, 2009 at 9:53 pm

I think I much prefer your nut-covered version; toffee on top of shortbread and chocolate seems a little too cloying for my tastes. What I wouldn’t do for some good shortbread right about now! :)
2 Linda // Feb 24, 2009 at 10:07 pm

Great variation on the topping. The cookie was a bit sweet for my taste, with the toffee bits really taking it over the top, so your nut topping sounds terrific!
3 Anjeanette // Feb 24, 2009 at 10:16 pm

Oh I wish I had nuts on mine. This looks heavenly.
4 Vibi // Feb 25, 2009 at 8:31 am

With the nuts on top… those look fantastic!
Great job, HappyTummy!
5 dharmagirl // Feb 25, 2009 at 9:11 am

Very lovely! I borrowed your pecan idea–I couldn’t deal with the ingredients in the Heath bits, and was too lazy to make my own toffee.

I love your presentation!
6 May // Feb 25, 2009 at 9:17 am

Your version sounds and looks the best! The only one which actually made me feel like making this recipe :)
7 Teanna // Feb 25, 2009 at 9:26 am

Oh I LOVE the pecan addition!!!! They look amazing!!!!!!
8 Clarisse-15ANs // Feb 25, 2009 at 2:18 pm

I want to test that ! ^^
9 oneordinaryday // Feb 25, 2009 at 3:31 pm

Oh, these look awesome! I bet the pecans really set it off. I think I’d prefer your version to the toffee bits. Great job!
10 carolina // Feb 25, 2009 at 9:40 pm

oh, wow, beautiful! very nicely done. I love the perfect cut and the pecan addition. Yes, here we say, PEE Can. Ha, ha.
11 sara // Feb 28, 2009 at 12:02 pm

Adding the pecans is a great idea!
12 Leslie // Mar 1, 2009 at 11:22 am

I wish I made mine with pecans. They look so delicious!
13 Barbara // Mar 1, 2009 at 11:40 am

they look absolutely scrumptious! can’t go wrong with pecans and chocolate :)
14 jd // Mar 2, 2009 at 1:54 pm

Those bars look amazing… especially since I haven’t had lunch yet!!

HappyTummy