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Caramel Crumb Bars Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 53 reviews
  • Author: Lily
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Indulge in rich, buttery caramel crumb bars featuring a homemade salted caramel sauce layered between a tender crumb base and a crunchy brown sugar crumble topping. These bars are baked to golden perfection and cooled to set for a delightful treat perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

For the Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (84 grams), cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

For the Caramel Crumb Bars

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), melted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (219 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (22.5 grams)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light preferred)
  • 2/3 cup salted caramel sauce (160 ml), homemade or store-bought

Instructions

  1. Make the Caramel Sauce: Add the granulated sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula as the sugar forms clumps and then melts into an amber liquid. Carefully stir in the butter; the mixture will boil up. Continue stirring until butter mostly combines. Reduce heat to low, stir in heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in coarse salt, and cool fully.
  2. Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring overhang on edges for easy removal.
  3. Make the Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and granulated sugar. Stir in flour, cornstarch, and salt until no lumps remain and dough is thick and crumbly.
  4. Form the Base: Press a little more than half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place the remaining dough in the refrigerator.
  5. Bake the Base: Bake the base layer for 20-25 minutes until set and beginning to golden. Keep oven on after removing.
  6. Cool the Base: Allow the base to cool for 20-30 minutes; this step is critical for layering.
  7. Add Caramel Layer: Spread 2/3 cup salted caramel sauce evenly over the cooled base. If you made homemade caramel, you may not need all the sauce.
  8. Prepare the Crumble Topping: Mix the chilled remaining dough with 2 tablespoons brown sugar until crumbly. Crumble this mixture over the caramel layer, making larger crumbles for texture.
  9. Bake Finished Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden and no longer doughy. The caramel will bubble during this step.
  10. Cool Completely: Remove from oven and cool bars fully in the pan, at least 3 hours. Refrigerate to speed cooling if desired.
  11. Slice and Serve: Use parchment paper overhang to lift bars from the pan. Cut into 12 bars using a sharp knife for clean slices.

Notes

  • Cooling the base layer before adding caramel is essential to prevent mixing.
  • Use a sharp knife when slicing bars for clean edges; a dull knife will cause crumbling.
  • The caramel sauce can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to a week.
  • Make larger crumble pieces on top for better texture retention.
  • Chilling the dough helps with easier crumbling and better topping consistency.
  • You can use store-bought salted caramel sauce if short on time.

Find it online: https://dishmelt.com/caramel-crumb-bars-recipe/