BARS - CARAMEL CRUMB BARS

Makes twenty-four 2-inch (5cm) squares 

DOUGH

8 ounces (225 grams) unsalted butter, softened

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

FILLING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

¼ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 (14-ounce/.41L) can sweetened, condensed milk

One 9 x 13 x 20-inch (23 x 33 x 5-cm) pan, buttered and lined fully (bottom and sides) with buttered parchment paper or foil

Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350F (180C).

For the dough, beat the butter with the sugar and salt in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and light, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla.

On the lowest speed, beat in 2 ¼ cups of the flour, scraping the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula and continuing to mix just until the dough is smooth, and the flour has been absorbed.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape ¾ of the dough into the prepared pan.  Use the palm of your hand to press the dough down evenly, without compressing too much.  Chill the dough-lined pan.  Work the remaining ¼ cup flour into the remaining dough with your fingertips, so that it forms 1/8- to ¼-inch (3- to 6-mm) crumbs.  Set aside at room temperature. 

For the filling, in a medium saucepan bring the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and condensed milk to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Allow the mixture to boil gently, stirring often, until it starts to thicken and darken slightly, about 10 minutes.  Pour into a stainless-steel bowl to cool for 5 minutes. 

Remove the dough-lined pan from the refrigerator and scraped the cooled filling onto the dough, using a small offset spatula to spread the filling evenly on the dough.  Scatter the crumb mixture on the filling.

Bake until the filling is bubbling gently and is a deep caramel color and the dough and crumb topping are baked through, about 30 minutes.

Cool in pan on a rack until lukewarm, 15 to 20 minutes.  Lift the slab of baked dough out of the pan and onto a cutting board before it has cooled completely.  Cut the slab into 2-inch (5-cm) squares.  

STORAGE – Keep these at room temperature if you are serving them within a day.  If not, wrap and freeze them and make sure to defrost and bring to room temperature before serving. 

From The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri.