Caramel Crumb Bars

These bars are a little bite of heaven. They have a shortbread base, a caramel center and a shortbread crumble on top. No lie. 

The base (and topping) is made in the Kitchenaid. I bet you a dollar you can't stop yourself from eating this dough!

The center involves sweetened condensed milk, butter and brown sugar. Nuff said. 

After it cools, it starts to thicken.

Then use an offset spatula to spread it over the base. 

Once that's done, you sprinkle the topping and bake it. I like to cut it into small squares or rectangles, but you can cut it however you like it! Warning: it's rich and addictive!

The recipe is adapted 

from The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri. It's a very beautiful book with amazing recipes. It's a book worth having in your cookbook collection. 

Dough (for base and topping):

8 oz (2 sticks) of unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2.5 cups of flour (separated into 2 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup to be used at different times)

Filling:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp light corn syrup

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Line a 9 X13 inch pan with foil or parchment (on the bottom and sides); butter the lining well

Set your baking rack onto the lowest level in the oven that you can and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the dough: Beat the butter, sugar and salt in the Kitchenaid with the paddle attachment on medium for 2-3 minutes, until soft and light. Add vanilla. 

On low speed, add 2 1/4 cups of flour until it's just mixed in. You will need to push the sides down with a spatula a few times. 

Take 3/4 of the dough and press it into the prepared pan (this is your crust. don't press down to hard). Chill this pan until you are ready to add the center and topping.

Add 1/4 cup remaining flour by hand to the remaining dough so that it forms large and small crumbs. Set aside.

To make the filling: Put the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and condensed milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Allow to simmer, while stirring for about 7-10 minutes. It will darken and thicken. DO NOT let it boil to high. It will burn!! 

Pour it into a glass bowl to cool for 5 minutes.

Pour filling over the crust. Use the offset spatula to smooth it over. Then crumble the topping over the the filling.

Bake for 30 minutes. The filling will bubble a little. 

Allow to cool for 20 minutes on a rack.

Then remove the slab from the pan and let it cool completely on a cutting board. 

Cut into squares once cooled. 

EAT and LOVE them!

(You can freeze these cookies. But make sure to let them come to room temp before you serve.)