Skip to main content

Cashew Caramel Bars


It's still National Baking Week.  I volunteered to donate a baked good for a basket being put together for a 19-year-old boy who is in the military and is on his way to  Korea as I write this.  Chapel Guarnieri started a Facebook Group We Stand Behind Those Who Stand Up For Us.  It's an interactive group for people in Pepperell and Townsend, MA to recognize veterans and family and friends who put their lives on the line to allow us to live in this great country. Take a look at it and see if it's something you would like to be involved in.

I didn't have a lot of time to make something elaborate, so I found this new recipe.  It didn't seem too hard and was kind of quick to make.  I threw it together in the morning before I left for work.  It is absolutely heavenly.  I thought I might have overcooked the crust and was a bit worried about that, but you would never know.  It was nice and buttery and chewy.  The butterscotch caramel had that perfect combination and it seems to me, that cashews make anything taste great.  I will definitely be making this many times and might just become my go-to recipe.


1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
11 oz. butterscotch chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tbs + 1 tsp. water
2 cups roasted, salted cashews

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 pan with PAM.  Cover bottom with parchment paper.  Spray parchment paper.



Beat butter, brown sugar and salt in electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.


Add flour and mix on low just until incorporated.  


Lightly press dough evenly into the prepared pan.


Press holes into the dough using a fork


Bake 30 to 40 minutes until the crust is a golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.


While the crust is in the oven, start preparing the caramel.  In a heavy saucepan stir together butterscotch chips, corn syrup and water over low heat. Stir until mixture starts to simmer and butterscotch chips are melted.   For some reason, the butterscotch chips did not melt the entire way, but I found that it did not matter at all.


Pour over crust.  Cover the caramel with an even layer of cashews.


Bake for 5 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.


When completely cooled, pick up the parchment paper and put it on a cutting board upside down.  Pull the paper off and turn back to right side up.  Cut into bars using a very sharp knife.  Store in a airtight container.













Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Candy Cane Valentine

If you're like me,  you might have a lot of candy canes left over from Christmas.  Or, you might wait until they are 90% off and pay next to nothing for a box.  I think I paid 20 cents for 44 candy canes.  I love being able to take one thing and use it for another.  All you need to make this heart is two candy canes and red ribbon.  I hot glued the top and bottom of the candy cane. Then I tied a ribbon and curled the ends and glued it to the front of the heart.  I took another piece of ribbon, made a loop and tied the bottom and glued it to the back.  That's it!  Cute! February 20, 2013 Here is my patriotic version.  Some friends of mine helped me make over 100 of these last night to hand out at the  Veteran's Breakfast that will be held March 2nd in Pepperell, MA.  My daughter, Megan and I organized a little variety show for the Veterans.  Megan and her sister, Ryan will be dancing along with a lot of their dance friends.  There will be a few other acts as wel
4 comments
Read More

The Best Vanilla Cake Ever!

Full credit for the ultimate vanilla cake and vanilla frosting goes to Rosie from  Sweetapolita .  Not only were the directions really easy to follow, but I made two batches on two different days and they came out exactly the same AND perfect.  I have never made a cake this way before.  It was backwards from the way I've usually done it.  It almost seemed like making pastry for a minute.  The only thing I did different was add 1 Tbs. of vanilla bean paste and then 1 Tbs. of vanilla extract.
8 comments
Read More

Strawberry Jam Shortbread Bars

I have lived in my apartment over a year and, little by little, I have been exploring the area of North Andover/Andover, MA.  The other day I read that it was the first day of the season for corn.  I waited until Ryan came home from work and we headed off to  about 3 or 4 farm/farm stands.  Some were better than others.  I can imagine what they will be like in the Fall.  Our favorite was  Smolak Farms   in North Andover.  They had such a cute shop that had lots of specialty food items, homemade donuts and ice cream, etc..  I was able to taste  their homemade strawberry jam and I was immediately hooked.  I have been collecting different jams lately from   Stonewall Kitchen, York, ME .  Those samples will get you every time.  As soon as I tasted the strawberry jam, I knew I had to get it and make a yummy dessert.  I found a recipe online from    Recipe Girl , which I have adapted.  Enjoy this buttery, sweet, fruity bar.  
2 comments
Read More