Receta Twix Bars
My poor, neglected children pointed out to me yesterday that it had been a very long time since I made homemade cookies or bars. My mind quickly tried to prove them wrong as it raced back weeks at a time through recipe memories. They were right. It had been a very long time.
You would think that one of the benefits of having a mom who hosts a food blog would be endless sweets and treats. Oh well. Next week starts the madness of graduation cakes and cupcakes so there will be nothing but sweet confections coming out of my kitchen for a couple weeks. They love hanging out to snatch up any spare cupcake, cake piece or frosting.
These bars have been at the top of my list of recipes I wanted to try so I was excited to finally get the excuse to make them. They were actually easier to make than I first anticipated and that is always a great thing! The longest part is just waiting for each individual layer to cool, but feel free to use the fridge or freezer to help that process speed up.
I added salt to the crust portion because I love the play of salty and sweet together. My daughter wanted me to leave half of the bars without chocolate and instead, sprinkle on some sea salt over the caramel layer. I told her she just created a new recipe for me to post another day. Act surprised please when you see her version in a "new" post in the weeks to come :)
Twix Bars
(makes a 9x13 pan of bars)
recipe adapted from High Heels and Grills
Crust:
- 1 C salted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C powdered sugar
- 2 C flour
- Caramel:
- 2 1/2 C caramel squares (you will need to buy 2 bags)
- 3 Tb heavy cream
- Chocolate:
- 2 C milk chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan lightly with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft, then add the salt, vanilla and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the flour and carefully combine. Press mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan and bake for about 35 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Melt the caramel squares and cream in a medium microwave safe bowl in the microwave. Heat for 3 minutes on high, stopping to stir after each minute. Spread the melted caramel over the cooled crust and place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to allow the caramel to cool.
3. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 2 minutes, stopping to stir after the first minute. Spread evenly over the cooled caramel and return the pan to the refrigerator until the chocolate is set. Cut into squares to serve.