Espresso Caramel Bars

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Giada at HomeEpisode: Lazy Day Lunch

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (33)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(33)

Cook Time:
22 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 2 hr 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Total:: 2 hr 52 min

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Ingredients

Crust:

Vegetable cooking spray
12 whole (6 ounces) cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled or 2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Caramel:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water

Chocolate Layer:

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt, optional

Special equipment: a candy thermometer

For the crust:

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.

For the caramel:

While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

For the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the springform pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.

Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Lauren Kansas City, KS 02-07-2010
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Almost Too Rich....
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Crust was too buttery, will use less butter next time. Caramel was perfect. So rich. I will make these again when I want... to get fatter.Read more
recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Tricia Toledo, OH 01-09-2010
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Can you tell me what I might have done wrong?
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I agree, first off, that the coffee favor is not really there in the chocolate top of these bars. BUT, the caramel turned out... very, very chewy and almost hard to eat. I was so disappointed, what can I do to make the caramel layer softer next time? Any tips?Read more
recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Laura Aledo, TX 01-08-2010
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Rich and Delicious!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Followed other comments and used only 6 T. butter in the crust. Came out perfectly! Used 1/2 and 1/2 in place of the cream... because that is all I had and it still turned out fine. Baked in 8x8 pan lined w/heavy tinfoil and sprayed with cooking spray. Cut into 48 bite size pieces, which were perfect. These are more like eating a piece of fudge than a typical cookie bar. Very tasty but couldn't really taste the espresso in them. Read more
recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Brandy Austin, TX 12-02-2009
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YUUUUUUUM!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

These bars are SO good. My boyfriend not only loves them but requests that I make them at least once every other week. After... a few times of making them, I tried different things in them...chopped nuts, shaved cocunut, milk chocolate (instead of bittersweet), without espresso. The caramel that goes in the bars is so good, too...the best caramel I've had. I always lick the pot.Read more
recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Molly Glassboro, NJ 11-04-2009
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Decadent and delicious!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I loved these bars. I followed the directions exactly - except for one thing: i cut the butter down to 1 stick for the... crust, based on other reviews. I really think that did the trick! The crust came out perfectly: moist AND crunchy, if you can believe it. And for anyone that is doubtful about using the smoked sea salt, let me just tell you: IT MAKES THE DESSERT. i was skeptical, but i trust Giada...so i went with it and i'm so glad i did. I am definitely going to experiment with the smoked sea salt in other chocolate desserts - it adds such an amazing dimension to the final product. friends and family couldn't stop eating and raving about these bars. I will definitely be making these again for a special occassion! Thanks again, Giada. You never let me down!Read more
recipe Espresso Caramel Bars
Sarah Troy, NY 09-08-2009
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I had to throw these out they were so bad...
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I followed this recipe exactly, without bothering to read the comments first, because I figured, wow it has 5 stars...it must... be delicious! I was terribly wrong. I agree with previous comments that there was FAR too much butter in the crust. Mine was soupy after baking, and when cooled, there was congealed globs of butter all over the bottom of my pan. Disgusting. These were also sickeningly sweet. Between the too-buttery crust and the extreme sweetness...my boyfriend and I couldn't eat them! I had to throw them out! I think these would be greatly improved by cutting the butter in the crust in half at least, as well as omitting the sugar in the crust (cinnamon graham crackers are super sweet to begin with). I'd also use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate, and up the amount of espresso powder. Read more