Description
Salted caramel butter bars offer a rich, indulgent dessert perfect for sweet tooths. Buttery layers meld with caramel’s deep flavor, creating a luxurious treat that delights taste buds and satisfies cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups (315 g / 11.1 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g / 7 oz) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g / 5.3 oz) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 jar (11 oz / 310 g) caramel sauce
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage with slight overhang for effortless removal and serving.
- Craft Dough Foundation: Cream butter and sugars until voluminous and pale, integrating vanilla extract to enhance flavor complexity, then delicately fold in flour and salt until a malleable, crumbly texture emerges.
- Create Base Layer: Distribute half the dough across the prepared pan, pressing firmly and uniformly to establish a compact, seamless crust without any vulnerable thin regions.
- Initial Baking Phase: Bake the foundational layer in a preheated oven until edges acquire a golden-bronze shimmer, approximately 15-18 minutes, then allow a brief cooling interval.
- Caramel Enhancement: Blend caramel sauce with sea salt, ensuring thorough incorporation and balanced seasoning, then generously drizzle across the partially cooled crust to create an even, glistening layer.
- Textural Topping: Delicately scatter remaining dough over the caramel, generating a rustic, artisanal appearance that promises textural intrigue and visual appeal.
- Final Baking Stage: Return pan to oven and continue baking until the surface transforms into a luminous golden landscape with elegantly crisp edges.
- Cooling and Setting: Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely at room temperature, facilitating layer integration and optimal slice definition, then optionally refrigerate for 30 minutes to achieve pristine cutting precision.
Notes
- Choose Quality Butter: Select high-fat, unsalted butter at room temperature for a rich, creamy base that ensures smooth mixing and exceptional texture.
- Press Crust Evenly: Use the back of a measuring cup or flat spatula to create a uniform, compact bottom layer without thin or uneven spots that might cause inconsistent baking.
- Control Caramel Consistency: Warm caramel slightly to achieve a pourable consistency, but avoid overheating to prevent separation or burning of the sauce.
- Chill for Clean Cuts: Refrigerate bars for at least 30 minutes before slicing to stabilize layers and create precise, professional-looking squares without crumbling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 15
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg